The Only One he Ever Loved
by theblackeden
Summary: Lord Voldemort has risen again and the one thing on his mind is to kill Harry Potter. But as time goes on, he finds another obsession to rival the one with the boy. A young woman that Lord Voldemort had long forgotten of is alive, and strong, and willing to do whatever it takes to save the wizarding world. WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOKS, OR SEEN THE MOVIES.
1. Chapter 1

It was well into august, just after the Quidditch world cup had ended. The small town of little Hangleington was dark and murky. The streets were empty and silent. The place resembled a ghost town. The only lights were those of Riddle Manor that flickered beyond the graveyard. A single window emitted a kind of glow that suggested firelight was being used.

The one room were the light came from was occupied by three men. Two had been there for a few months now, but the third was new. These men went by the names of Wormtail, Barty Crouch Jr., and Lord Voldemort. Lord Voldemort sat on one of the large cushiony armchairs that faced the fire in that room. Wormtail lay cowering in a corner, reluctant to look at his master. However, Barty crouch Jr. was at his side, staring at his lord like there wasn't a thing he wouldn't do for him.

"Do you understand what is required?" said the snakelike voice that sent chills rippling around the room.

"I do," Barty Crouch Jr. said, "It will be an honor to carry it out my lord!" he then bows his head very low.

"Good. Good… but there is a complication." Lord Voldemort said to him. Barty Crouch Jr. looked up at him in confusion.

"A complication my Lord?"

"Wormtail, bring me the newspaper."

Wormtail looked up with utter fear in his eyes. He scrambled over to a small table and picked up a paper labeled "The Daily Prophet." He then gave it to his Lord and returned to his corner with haste.

"It says here that at the Quidditch World Cup, a nameless young woman that they called 'Dumbledore's Apprentice' almost captured you before you could carry out the noble act that you preformed." Voldemort said softly.

"Oh, yes my lord, but I managed to escape in time. All she saw was the Dark Mark I had conjured into the sky." Barty Crouch Jr. replied.

"Did you see who she was?" Lord Voldemort continued. Barty Crouch Jr. turned pale.

"I-I managed a glimpse of her my lord."

"and?"

Barty seemed to be groping around for words.

"She was… quite beautiful my lord. I had never seen her before… I had rushed off into the woods before I could get a better look. I figured she was someone from the ministry…" He finished.

Lord Voldemort sat quietly, not saying anything. He appeared to be thinking.

"I had not planned for this apprentice to be part of the plan. It is the first I've heard of her." He finally said, "I fear, if she is anything like Dumbledore, we must be extra cautious…"

"Of course my lord! I will do everything to make sure the plan goes through." Barty said with utmost loyalty in his tone.

"Good. But I want reports on this… apprentice… tell me everything about her. If she is of any threat to us, she must be disposed of the moment she leaves Dumbledore's sight."

"Yes my lord," Barty repeated.

"Go then. Begin the plan. Wormtail, I need feeding."

"Y-yes my lord. R-right away," said Wormtail. He took shaking steps as he went off to find Nagini.

"Dumbledore's apprentice… " Voldemort thought aloud. "Who are you?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Harry, something different is definitely happening this year…" Ron said skeptically, "Remember what Percy said? And now Malfoy?"

"Oh we'll find out at the feast I'm sure," Hermione replied, "But harry, have you written to Sirius about everything yet? The dark mark, and your dream?"

"I'll do it tomorrow, once we get a chance to go to the owlry," said Harry Potter. "But I'm with Ron. Malfoy was acting all high and mighty. I want to know why."

The three walked side by side as they approached the carriages that would take them to the school. The night air was chillier than it had been for the past three months, a sign that autumn was fast approaching.

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardy loomed in the distance. The castle was magnificent in the dark, with all the windows lit. It overlooked a large lake that was now bobbing with boats filled with first years.

Inside the castle was even more magical. The great hall was littered with floating candles and the ceiling reflected the twinkling stars in the night sky. One by one, the long tables filled with students that had been divided by the four houses. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat at the one littered with Gold and Red.

"I hope they start soon, I'm starving!" Ron complained.

"When are you not starving?" snapped Hermione, but harry had to agree. His stomach churned from lack of food.

The sorting took too long in Harry's eyes. He observed all the first year's terrified expressions as they approached the Sorting Hat. As it was placed on their heads, the hat shouted out the house name's in random order. The first year's would then run from their seat on the stool, to one of the four long tables in the hall. Once it was finally done, the three looked up to the staff table. They saw Dumbledore approach his podium. He smiled and his eyes twinkled behind the half-moon spectacles.

"Good evening," he bellowed, "and welcome back to another year at Hogwarts! I have two words for you all: Eat up!"

Suddenly, the four tables were piled with mouth-watering plates of food.

"Finally!" Ron exhaled, and lunged at the roasted turkey before him.

It was a few hours before all the students, and most of the staff, lay back in their chairs, satisfied.

"Ah! That was refreshing," Dumbledore said, "and now that you are filled with nourishment, I have an announcement to make. This year, Hogwarts has been chosen to host-"

Suddenly, the two large oaks doors at the back of the great hall creaked open. Dumbledore stopped midsentence and the whole hall turned to see who had arrived late.

Abruptly, there were gasps. Thousands of them were echoing around the hall. Harry's jaw dropped to the floor and he heard Ron next to him whisper "Bloody hell…"

Through the two oak doors came the most beautiful woman harry had ever seen in his life. She strolled in with a kind of airy grace that he never thought possible for anyone but ghosts. Her auburn hair glimmered in the candlelight and her porcelain skin was so flawless, it resembled freshly fallen snow. But what was so shocking about this girl, were her eyes. They were almond shaped, and brimmed with thick lashes. The irises were a bright blue with a subtle golden ring revolving around her pupil. They sparkled as she looked around at all the shocked faces.

As she moved up the isle towards the staff table, the thousands of eyes followed her. Harry could not comprehend what he was seeing, almost like she was a dream.

"Ah! Ms. Angeline!" Dumbledore exclaimed. His voice snapped Harry out of his trance. The rest of the great hall seemed to awaken from a dream-like state. The boys all looked utterly enthralled, and the girls looked downright sour.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce Ms. Emily Angeline. She will be studying with me as an apprentice." He continued, "I expect that you give her the same Hogwarts courtesy that you would give any teacher here."

There was a soft murmur of consent, and some distorted applause. Harry saw that the girl gave a small smile as she moved to stand next to Dumbledore. Her beauty seemed to radiate onto everything in the room, making it all brighter and lovelier.

"Now, as I was saying, Hogwarts has been chosen-"

The lights flickered, and suddenly it began to rain. The ceiling stars were covered with ominous clouds and everyone began to yell as they attempted to use their books as umbrellas. Thunder clapped and lightning flashed. Harry thought he saw the girl reach into her robes for her wands, but before she could withdraw it, there was a blue flash and the rain ceased.

All eyes turned, once more, to the large oak doors.

However, this time there was no beautiful woman strolling in this time. Instead, there was a man dripping with water, hunched over a wooden cane. His face was covered in scars and one of his eyes was large and artificial. It rolled around in its socket like it was alive.

"Stupid ceiling," he growled and hobbled into the hall.

"That's mad-eyed moody," Hermione murmured.

"What?" harry asked.

"Mad-eyed moody?" Ron whispered, "Blimey! "

"Who's mad-eyed moody?" Harry asked.

"He's a famous Auror," Hermione answered, "Dumbledore asked him to fill in for the defense against the dark arts post this year."

They looked up to the front and saw Dumbledore, Emily and Mad- eyed Moody exchanging hushed words. Then Dumbledore patted moody on the back and stepped up to finish his speech.

"This year, Hogwarts has been chosen to lay host to the Triwizard tournament," he finally finished.

Next to him, Emily smiled again as the great hall broke into murmurs for the third time that night.


	3. Chapter 3

"The Triwizard Tournament!"

"If only I was seventeen, or else I would try out!"

"Did you see that girl? Total knockout!"

"Where'd she come from? I've never seen her before."

"I'm going to put my name in the Goblet of fire…"

The Gryffindor common room was mixed with conversation from the feast that night. The appearance of Emily Angeline and the announcement of the Triwizard Tournament were battling for the most interesting topic of conversation. Harry personally, didn't care all that much for the tournament seeing as he was not seventeen and could not enter. So he chose to discuss Emily Angeline.

"I've never heard of this… Emily Angeline." Hermione said, confused.

"Me either," said Ron, "but she was bloody gorgeous wasn't she?"

Hermione scowled. Harry could feel an argument brewing.

"Something about her just doesn't feel right," she continued, "like she's dangerous."

"Lay off Hermione," Ron snapped, then turned to Harry. "Do you suppose she's a veela?"

"I don't think so," Harry replied, "most veela have blond hair don't they? And besides, veela's beauty makes you do weird stuff. That night at the cup, I almost jumped out of the stadium box. This felt more like a sort of hypnotic thing…"

"Exactly! And that's why she's dangerous!" Hermione exclaimed,"she could probably make any boy in the school do whatever she wanted them too."

"You haven't even met her Hermione! Stop jumping to conclusions," said Ron.

"I could say the same to you!" Hermione retorted, "Just because she's pretty doesn't mean-"

The two began to bicker silently, and Harry just starred into the fireplace, thinking. Dumbledore had never had an apprentice before. Harry had never thought he was the type to take on pupils. However, he had to admit that, standing side by side, the two definitely looked like a team that you didn't want to mess with. Though something about Emily seemed oddly familiar to harry, and it frustrated him that he couldn't figure out what.

September slowly morphed into October. Unlike Dumbledore, Emily was seen wandering around the halls, chatting with teachers. Sometimes you would round a corner and she would sneak up on you. This rarely happened, but when it did you wouldn't be able to clear your mind until she walked away. Even then her beauty left behind a sort of fog that prevented you from forming coherent thoughts.

Finally, they day finally came when the other wizarding schools were to arrive for the tournament. Focusing in class became impossible.

"Is that them?" one girl cried, pointing at the window. People began pushing and shoving to get a better look. Harry saw a large blue carriage, pulled by about a dozen winged horses, swooping down onto the Hogwarts grounds. They landed with a clunk.

"That's the Beauxbatons!" another boy cried. Surely enough, the door of the carriage opened and out came a line of students dressed in light blue, silk cloaks with the letter B stitched onto the upper right hand corners of each one.

As the day wore on, someone else said that they had seen the Durmstrangs come in by a massive boat.

The feast that evening was better than Harry had ever seen before. Clearly they were trying to impress the newcomers. Most of the Beauxbatons sat with Ravenclaws and Durmstrangs sat with Slytherins.

Emily Angeline stood at the front looking just as beautiful as ever. Her black cloak was draped artfully over her shoulders and cascaded down her back like a dark waterfall, and her hair had been beautifully twisted into a complex up-do. She stood beside Dumbledore as he welcomed the new students to Hogwarts. Harry could hear most of the Durmstrangs speaking quite inappropriately of her, when Dumbledore finally stepped from behind his podium. He then pointed his wand at something covered by a large sheet and yanked it off. It revealed a large Goblet that was bursting with flames.

"Simply place your name into the Goblet on a slip of parchment and we shall reveal our champions tomorrow night. Good luck!" he said.

Harry looked up to the front as everyone exited the great hall. He could see he Durmstrang head, Igor Karkaroff, sending stares of pure loathing at Dumbledore and Emily. However, Madame Maxine looked delighted as she and Emily spoke in what looked like rapid French. On his way out, Harry caught some snippets.

"_Votre voyage, c'était bien_?" Emily asked.

"_Oui, la plupart de temps," _replied Madame Maxine.

The next day, the hall was filled with excited students. Some looked like they couldn't breathe, while others tried to look calm and collected. However, only three slips of parchment came from the Goblet. The names were Fleur, Krum, and Cedric.

Only, once the champions had left, the goblet swirled with flames again. A hush fell over the crowd as a forth piece of paper shot from the tips of the fire and propelled itself into Emily's hand.

"H-harry Potter…" she stammered.

Harry felt his hands go numb. What? Him? Surely there had been a mistake!

Hermione shoved him up the isle, towards Emily. He felt clammy, and his hands shook as he reached out for the parchment in Emily's hand. He looked up into her magnificent eyes, and saw that they didn't look confused or angry. In fact, they looked sympathetic.

However, everyone else in the hall was outraged.

"He's not even seventeen!"

"This isn't fair!"

"He's a cheat!"

"Dumbledore," Emily said, her voice cutting crisply through all the shouting, "I'm going to walk Harry down to where the champions are."

Dumbledore nodded, his face filled with worry. Emily placed one hand on his back. It was warm and comforting, but Harry was too shocked to fully appreciate it.

As they passed the rest of the teachers, Emily came to a slight halt in front of Mad-eyed moody.

"I'd like to see you when this is done Mad-eye," she said coldly. Harry felt chills roll down his spine in the change of her tone, "we need to have a little chat."

Moody's eye widened a little in surprise, but he nodded.

As they traveled down the corridor, Harry felt the need to explain himself.

"I swear I didn't put my name in!" he declared.

"Harry," said Emily reassuringly, "you don't need to preach to me. I know!"

"Y-you do?"

"Of course! I-" but then she stopped. Her joints became rigid and her breathing slowed.

"Get behind me," she whispered.

Harry opened his mouth to ask what was going on, but Emily shoved him out of the way and withdrew her wand so quickly Harry didn't even see it.

She stood like this for a good two minutes before the first spell was fired out of no where. She deflected it with ease, and the sound it made as it collided with her shield charm echoed off the walls. Then there was another and another. Harry tried to find out who was attacking them, but as he looked down the hall there was no one. The spells seemed to be coming out of thin air.

Emily's expression was almost bored as she moved around each stream of light that was directed at her. Finally she sent a spell of her own onto the invisible foe and the attacks stopped.

"In to the room. Now!" Emily insisted, and she shoved harry behind the door.

"W-what was that?" he stammered.

"Someone trying to do me in I think," she replied, "don't worry about it. It's my problem. I just can't believe they'd attack with you right next to me!"

As she spoke, Harry heard another sound. It sounded like a stampede coming closer and closer. Finally, the door burst open and almost all the teachers bombarded in.

"This is unfair Dumbledore!"

"It's against the rules! Each school can only have one champion!"

"_Sacrebleu!"_

Emily held out an arm to prevent any of the teachers from lunging at Harry.

"Step aside you silly girl!" heaved Karkaroff as he reached inside his robes for his wand.

"Igor-" Dumbledore began, but Emily had already hit Karkaroff in the stomach with a shockingly powerful jinx. With a blinding flash of white, he went flying back and landed with a sickening thud.

"Don't do anything rash," Emily hissed, "Listen to Harry."

Harry explained that he had not put his name in the Goblet, but of course no one believed him. Madame Maxine was swearing in French, and Emily could not calm her down. Karkaroff was now looking murderously at Dumbledore.

"Crouch!" he yelled, "what is to be done?"  
Barty Crouch stepped forward and removed his bowler hat.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Potter has no choice. The Goblet of Fire produces a binding magical contract that cannot be broken. He is, at this moment, a Triwizard champion!"

Chaos reigned over the room. Dumbledore moved over to Emily and whispered something in her ear. Emily nodded and seized Harry by the arm.

"Come one, you must be exhausted," she said gently, and led him away from the arguing crowd.


	4. Chapter 4

That night, Harry dreamed. His mind became encased with darkness and images fluttered before him. It was almost like he was viewing things from the other end of a tunnel. Then, slowly, he moved closer and closer to the small light at the other end. He heard voices.

"My lord… please, I tried…" cried a voice in pain.

"Say her name again… SAY IT AGAIN!" cried a shrill voice.

"Emily… Angeline…"

The cold voice cried out with a mix of rage and disbelief. "_CRUCIO_!"

Yells of anguish reverberated throughout the manor, but he, Lord Voldemort, could care less for his servant's pain. It was not possible. He had thought her to be dead. But this whole time she had been comfortably sitting on Dumbledore's lap…

Dumbledore, he thought with the deepest loathing possible. Of course Dumbledore would do this. This made everything much more complicated, and Dumbledore was to blame…

"We must kill her before she interferes too much," he said aloud, "before everything is ruined."

"My lord… she is strong… I tried to dispose of her like you asked…"

"Well you must try harder!" Voldemort exclaimed, "Or pay the price!"

"I will my Lord… I swear…" said the servant between gasps. "B-but she is always being watched! She is c-constantly protected."

"Well find a way, because if this girl messes with the plan all is lost! Everything we have worked towards."

"Y-yes my lord," the servant repeated. However, Lord Voldemort was feeling enraged and vengeful. He did not feel like letting his servant go unscathed.

"_CRUCIO!"_

Harry heard the yells as he was sucked back through the tunnel. The opening became smaller and smaller until he was surrounded by darkness once more.

Then, his eyes flew open and he gasped.


	5. Chapter 5

"No Hermione, you don't understand!" Harry insisted the next day, as he ran to Dumbledore's office, "This wasn't just a dream! Voldemort is going to kill her!"

"Harry, slow down!" Hermione called, but Harry continued at the same pace. His heart was pounding fast. He had to warn her.

They came to a halt before the giant copper phoenix that glistened in the light of the early day.

"Fizzing Whizzbees," Harry said. The phoenix creaked, and then swirled upwards, revealing a spiral staircase.

"Come on!" Harry insisted.

"Harry please! The headmaster is probably very busy!" Hermione pleaded but Harry ignored her, and took the stairs two at a time until he reached the top.

Once there, Harry immediately made to knock on the door, but a series of voices stopped him. He pressed his ear to the door instead.

"… utterly ridiculous! What could possibly happen to him if he decided not to compete?" said a beautiful voice that could only belong to Emily.

"There is no telling what would happen, but I can assure you that the consequences would be severe." Said another that sounded like Barty Crouch.

"What if someone decided to take his place?" she asked hopefully.

"No, no it is impossible. Potter must compete! He has no other alternative."

There was a heavy silence that rested over the room.

"Very well Mr. Crouch… Good day to you." Emily said, defeated. Harry moved out of the way just in time before Mr. Crouch swung the door open. He then took one look at Harry, shrugged, and continued down the stairs, placing his bowler hat back on top of his bald head.

Harry stepped inside Dumbledore's office.

"Harry?" Emily said surprised, but Harry did not stop.

"I need to see the headmaster! It's urgent!" He said. Hermione stood wide-eyed and mute behind him.

Emily looked down at Harry; her stunning gaze placed him in a trance. He suddenly had forgotten why he was here.

"Dumbledore is in London for the time being. Fudge scheduled an important conference with him." She then cocked her head, "anything I can help you with?"

Harry's mouth moved soundlessly, trying to find words and put them into a sentence.

"Harry said he had a dream," Hermione said for him, "Something about you-know-who."

This caught Emily's attention. Her eyes widened and she looked at Harry with concern.

"Oh dear."

"Voldemort- he knows- he wants to kill-" he tried to explain, but the words came out choppy and stupid sounding. He shook his head violently.

"Here, why don't you sit," Emily said, guiding the two of them to a pair of chairs across the room.

"Now, Harry, take a deep breath and tell me everything you saw." She said seriously. This helped him get a firmer grip. She was in danger, he thought, he had to warn her.

He very slowly began his tale. Starting with the tunnel, he tried to explain everything he had heard and seen. Voldemort torturing his servant, and how he had some sort of plan. When he got to the part of Voldemort knowing her name, she turned even whiter than normal. She looked like a corpse that had been taken from its grave and sat upright. Though, she didn't say a single word until Harry was done talking.

"He… he knows." She said to herself. Without as much as an explanation, she stood and began to pace. "I guess it was foolish to think that he would never find out."

"Why does Voldemort think you should be dead?" Harry asked. Emily faced him, and he feared that she might vomit.

"It's a… long story. I-I feel that now is not the time to tell it," she stammered, "Thank you for telling me this Harry, but now I must ask you to leave. There is work to be done."

"Work? But-" he began, but Hermione elbowed him hard, suggesting that he not push it. Emily didn't even bother to say goodbye as Hermione yanked him out the door and back down the staircase.


	6. Chapter 6

**EMILY ANGELINE**

*******Note: This chapter is a bit confusing, but I promise everything will be revealed as time goes on.**

The minute Harry and Hermione left the office, Emily flicked her wand and slammed the door shut. She was hyperventilating now. Her chest hurt and she put a hand to it as she tentatively sat down. Her head swirled with thoughts threatening to tear her to pieces.

He knew. After fifty years of hiding. They had taken so many precautions to ensure her safety, but now it had all gone to waste.

Of course Emily knew this would happen eventually. She knew she could not keep herself from him forever. But how could she have been so careless. She knew there was a spy here at Hogwarts, one for Voldemort who was probably reporting back to his master daily. She didn't even stop to consider…

She screamed and slammed her head against the wall. It hardly hurt-nothing hurt her anymore- but it left a considerable dent.

_Control ,_ she thought. _Don't lose control. _

She took a deep, shaky breath. Dumbledore was in London. She hadn't lied about that. She couldn't tell him until he returned. She felt lost and unsure of what to do.

"Alright," she said to herself, "alright. You need a plan. Something to work with..."

However, nothing came to her. Her mind was filled to the brink with fear. She began to gnaw at her fingernails. Harry had said that Voldemort wanted her dead. He was afraid that she would interfere with his plans. Emily rolled her eyes. She already knew Voldemort's plan step by step. If she wanted to get involved with his evil plot, she would have by now. But she hadn't because it was too risky, and it would have been a foul way to repay Dumbledore for everything he had done for her.

Suddenly, an eager idea crept into her brain. Now that he remembered, there was no point in hiding anymore. She could stop Voldemort from returning to power. She could ruin everything. Think of all the lives she could save. Her heart leapt with excitement. She had wanted to do this since she arrived here. She could kill him! End the war before it even started.

No, said another side of her conscience. You'd be interfering with more than just Voldemort's plans if you did that. The whole story would be wrong. Everything would turn chaotic.

The excitement was diminished as the reality of her situation set in. She had decided long ago not to meddle with this story, even if it meant many would die at her expense. She had to go along with it. She had to pretend she didn't know anything. She had to remain ignorant, even if it killed her.

Running her fingers exasperatedly through her hair, Emily decided the best thing to do was to wait for Dumbledore to return. Then, once she was ensured that Harry was protected, she would take off. She needed some time to think.


	7. Chapter 7

The months wore on and Harry was not feeling so good. Ron refused to talk to him, and almost everyone in the school hated him for having evaded the rules of the Goblet somehow. However, he felt enraged that no one would believe that he hadn't put his name in. Only Hermione would listen to him. And to make things worse, Harry hadn't seen Emily since that night when he came to her in Dumbledore's office and told her about the dream. Every morning, Dumbledore sat at the staff table without her, and even though he hardly looked worried, Harry felt like something was very wrong.

The first task was fast approaching. Hagrid had already revealed to him that it was dragons, and even though he had the advantage of knowing, it did not reassure him much.

Soon, it was a mere week before. His heart was hammering inside his chest as he and Hermione spent countless hours in the library, searching.

"There has to be something Harry. They wouldn't have given you an undoable task," Hermione said.

Then, one day, Mad-eye Moody approached him in the halls.

"Come with me potter," he growled and Harry followed, unsurely.

In his office, Moody implied that Harry sit down. He did so.

"So potter, what's your plan?" Moody began.

"M-my plan…?" Harry stuttered.

"For your dragon boy!"

"Oh… um, well…" He had not expected moody to know about the task, but then he realized all the teachers must.

Moody's eye rolled around in its socket.

"Alright listen. Maxine and Karkaroff have probably already whipped something up for their champions, seeing as they aren't the most cunning. However, that doesn't mean you should underestimate them." He gave Harry a stare and he nodded, so Moody continued.

"Fleur is no princess, Mr. Diggory could turn a whistle into a watch by your age, and Krum, granted his head may be thick, Karkaroff's is not. They are going to play to their strengths…"

He let the word simmer in the air, like Harry was supposed to get something. But Harry just stared at Mad-eye, confused.

"What are your strengths, Potter?" Moody finally said.

"Oh!" Harry exclaimed, "Well…" Now that he thought about it, Harry realized he might not have any strengths. "I-I can fly, I guess."

"Good! That's good!"

"But professor, I'm not allowed a broom." Harry said.

"Yes potter, but you're aloud a wand," moody said. Then, Harry understood.

"A summoning charm!" said Harry aloud.

"You thought of it, not me." Mad-eye growled with a smile, "But potter, before you go, I have to ask you something."

Harry turned to mad-eye, his heart thumping with excitement now that he had a plan.

"You and Ms. Angeline have talked some, correct?" he inquired. Harry nodded. "Any idea as to where she might be?"

"No sir," Harry said with a shrug. He looked at mad-eye curiously. Why did he want to know where Emily was?

"Very well," said moody, unsatisfied. "Go."

Back in the common room, Harry and Hermione spent well into the night practicing summoning charms with Harry's Firebolt.

"I think you've got it Harry!" Hermione exclaimed with a beaming smile. Harry slept better that night than he had all month.

The faithful morning came, and Harry could not eat a single bite of breakfast.

"You need your strength Harry," Hermione insisted.

"I can't eat," he said, "I think I'm just going to go up and practice some more summoning charms."

But even back in the common room he couldn't concentrate. So he just sat in one of the armchairs until nine, and then headed down to the grounds where and anxious McGonagall was waiting.

"Into the tent potter," she said, "and good luck." Though, the look on her face did not comfort Harry at all.

Inside the tent, the four champions were either pacing, mumbling over there plan, or preforming the incantations that they were going to use. Harry resorted to pacing because sitting down proved impossible, and he couldn't concentrate whatsoever. Soon, a vivacious Ludo Bagman came into the tent, holding a small, brown bag, and smiling like Christmas had come early. When he opened it, smoke billowed out in spirals.

"Each one of you will be given a different type of the thing you will be facing today. Gather around in a circle please."

Each one of the contestants did so. Bagman was grinning excitedly. All of the champions stuck their hands in the bag, cringing a little and then pulling out a small model of the dragon they were going to face.

"And that leaves…" Bagman began.

"The horntail," Harry murmured.

"What's that Harry?" he asked.

"Oh, uh, nothing." Harry insisted, and reached his hand into the bag, pulling out a small Hungarian Horntail with the number four around its neck. It looked menacing even though it was only four inches tall.

"Good! Now at the sound of the canon-" Bagman began, but there was a loud bang, the tent shook violently, and there was a call of sorry somewhere from above. Bagman shrugged and implied for Diggory to exit the tent.

One by one, Harry watched each champion leave. He heard screams and shouts, and Bagman didn't help much with his commentary.

"Oh that was close! Don't worry though; I'm sure that can be sewed back on! A brilliant dodge! Oh, that looked like it hurt!"

Harry's palms were overflowing with sweat, no matter how many times he wiped them on his pants. Adrenaline pulsed through every vein in his body, and his pacing wore a trail into the ground of the tent.

"And now, Mr. Harry Potter!"

There was a mixture of different yells, but Harry could decipher them. Blood was pounding in his ears.

But then to Harry's delight, up in the top box sitting next to Dumbledore, was Emily. He saw her clearly through the crowd because her beauty was like a beacon of hope. With his head a bit clearer, he waved his wand.

"Accio Firebolt!" he yelled, and then he felt something hot.

The horntails fire had barely grazed the tips of his shoes before he darted behind a huge rock. He got a close up of it for the first time. Its yellow eyes looked murderous and its spiky tail swung around intimidatingly. It was sitting over a nest filled with eggs and one of them was bright gold.

Harry was turning the gears in his mind, wondering how he was going to obtain that egg, when out of the corner of his eye he saw his broom, zooming towards him from the castle. It came to a halt right in front of him. Harry heard wild screaming as he mounted it and pushed off. Bagman said something, but Harry could not make it out.

He began to swirl around the horntail, making large circles, careful to stay out of its range of fire. He then had an idea. He got closer and closer it, swirling around its head like an annoying fly. The horntail tried to fry him, but harry dodged the flames just in time. He continued to fly just out of reach for the dragons mighty jaws.

"Come on… come on…" harry murmured. The horntail began stretching its neck out, reaching for Harry, but he flew just a bit higher every time. Then, she rose off her hind legs the slightest bit. It was all Harry needed. Before the dragon knew what hit it, Harry ducked underneath the dragons legs, and scooped up the golden egg.

There were deafening screams all around him. People were on their feet applauding. Harry exhaled. He had done it. He looked over to Emily, who was smiling proudly, and clapping energetically. He was so happy she had decided to come back when she did.


	8. Chapter 8

"The Yule Ball," Professor McGonagall said, "is fast approaching. It is a traditional dance that occurs after the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, around Christmas time."

Harry heard all the girls giggle excitedly. He felt many eyes staring at him, but he refused to turn around and acknowledge them. Finally the bell rang.

"Potter," McGonagall said, "a word please."

Harry shrugged to Ron, and approached McGonagall as the room slowly emptied.

"Potter, I have been asked to inform you that the Triwizard champions are to preform the opening dance of the ball."

"T-the what?" Harry asked.

"The opening dance boy. The champions and their partners are the first to dance." McGonagall said clearly.

"Oh, no, Professor I don't dance-"

"Well then, learn to. It is a tradition Potter."

"But Professor I really-" Harry began, but the look she gave him was enough to silence him.

"If it makes you feel any better Potter, Ms. Angeline is also going to be opening the dance with the Champions. You may ask her for some dancing assistance, if you must." She said, "Now go, you will be late for your next class."

Harry fumed all the way to Charms, where he expected Ron to laugh at him. But Ron simply stared at him, incredulously.

"You're a champion Harry! You've defeated a dragon! You won't have any problems getting a date to dance with you!"

"Yah well, I'd take the dragon any day," Harry said bitterly.

Snow began to fall over the grounds. The chilly air was angry, as it bitterly nipped the noses of people who hadn't covered their faces in scarves. Harry did notice that most girls glanced at him eagerly as he passed them, only to look crestfallen when he moved on.

"Come on Harry! Anyone would be glad to go with you!" Ron exclaimed, "It's me who has to worry!"

"Yah well, you won't look nearly as stupid as me, dancing without a partner." He thought fleetingly of Emily, but then shook his head. It was dumb to think such a thing.

As time wore on, Harry and Ron became desperate. So, one day in the common room, Harry caught Parvati Patil leaving and asked her.

"Alright," she giggled.

"And would you know anyone who would go with Ron?" He asked eagerly.

"I could ask my sister Padma. She's in Ravenclaw."

"Great! See you then!"

He was relieved to have that off his chest.

The night of the ball, Harry and Ron waited anxiously amongst the crowd for their dates.

"I suppose Hermione is up in her room." Ron said.

"What?" Harry asked, distracted.

"Come on Harry, nobody asked her!" Ron said like it was obvious.

"If you say so," Harry replied, peering over the edges of the crowd. He found their dates approaching them, wearing spectacular Indian style gowns of pink and blue, accented with golden bangles and earrings. Harry sighed in relief.

"Hello boys," they said. Harry was about to greet them, when suddenly, the entire Hall went dead silent. Harry looked around to see what had caused this abrupt quietness, and immediately his eyes fell on Emily.

Harry had to rub his eyes a few times to make sure he was seeing things clearly. Emily was normally stunning, but tonight, it was almost as if the entire universe revolved around her. This shining aura around her made her glimmer with beauty. Her dress was a solid, deep navy blue that contrasted dramatically with her ghostly pale skin. Her hair was down in long, caramel colored ringlets that fell over her shoulders, and her lipstick was a bright red.

Boys starred at her, not blinking or breathing by the looks of it. Girls looked utterly loathsome; hours of preparation only to be outshined by this one girl.

Harry didn't even notice that she had been approaching them until she was right next to him, murmuring something in his ear.

"Good luck!" she said with a dazzling smile. Harry tried to reply, but his mind was fuzzy, like a radio station that had lost its signal.

"Come on," said Padme crossly to Ron, who was drooling at the mouth. Parvati pulled Harry away violently, with the same attitude.

The feast was great, but Harry did not feel particularly hungry. He was sitting at the champions table, and he had lucked out because he had Emily to his left and Hermione to his right. She was sitting next to Viktor Krum who was looking at her dreamily.

"You look great Hermione." Harry said.

"Thanks! You as well." She smiled. As she turned back to talk to Krum, Harry tentatively turned to Emily, but she was talking to Madame Maxine again.

"_Et vous? combien d'année avez-vous étudié ici ?" _Madame Maxine asked.

"_Plus longue que je peux me rappeler."_ Emily replied.

The night wore on and the feast ended. It was time to dance. Harry felt his gut clench menacingly.

"Before we begin the fun," Dumbledore began, "I have agreed to let my apprentice, Ms. Angeline, to preform for us. Let us all give her a welcoming round of applause."

Many of the boys were clapping violently, while most of the girls weren't clapping at all. Emily stood from behind the champions table, waved her wand, and all the tables before them vanished. The great hall was now large and quite spacious. She then waved her wand again, and Harry watched as her stunning dress turning into a leotard. It was black and hugged her curves tightly. Her hair had magically twisted itself into a bun. She stepped out and walked to the middle of the hall.

Then, from no where, a bittersweet tune began to play. It was beautiful song. Emily began by looking down, and in no time at all, she started to dance. Harry was taken into shock for the second time that night. She was like a dove as she moved with such pinpoint grace that could not be replicated. Her arms stretched out then contracted back in. Her legs reached up towards the ceiling, and she swung them around, launching into a perfect jete. She landed on the tip of her toes, to spin around. She stopped only to bend forward. She held this pose awhile, a melancholy look on her face. Harry couldn't breathe as he watched her. It was unreal, the way she moved. She did one last twirl as she ended on point, and the music concluded. There was ear-shattering applause everywhere. Everyone was stunned. Harry saw some were actually crying. Madame Maxine was dabbing the corners of her eyes with a large handkerchief that could have been a tablecloth.

Harry watched Emily's sad expression morph back into one of lighthearted contentment. She waved thank you to everyone, then with a swish of her wand, she was back in her flawless gown and makeup. But Harry did notice that some of the sorrow still lingered in her eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

**EMILY ANGELINE**

Emily had not wanted to go to the yule ball, but Dumbledore had insisted. He even bought her a dress. She was thoroughly happy when it ended and she could go back to his office where no one could stare at her. The dancing had been incredibly enjoyable though. Emily never turned down an opportunity to dance.

Though, while she was down there, Emily had decided something. Just to be safe, she was going to spend the rest of this year at her second home in Diagon Alley. It was at Flourish and Blotts. Whenever Emily wasn't at Hogwarts, she was there. Ms. Blotts was like a mother figure to her. She always enjoyed being in her company.

_You should stay,_ a voice in Emily's head said, _to protect Harry._

"Harry can protect himself," she said aloud, "He doesn't need me. I shouldn't even be here."

Fawkes let out a soft, musical cry. Emily sighed.

"I can't stay Fawkes." Emily whispered to the brilliant red and gold phoenix, sitting on a perch by Dumbledore's desk, "I'll just be tempted to interfere."

The phoenix cocked its head at Emily. She smiled at it.

Then, she heard the door to the office open.

"Ah," said Dumbledore, "you left so soon!"

"I have never been one for parties Professor, especially of late." Emily replied.

"You need to learn to enjoy yourself, even if people are watching you." He reprimanded. "Your dancing was spectacular though, as always."

"Always the charmer," she joked. Emily then looked Dumbledore in the eye. "Sir, there is something I must discuss with you."

Dumbledore nodded for her to continue.

"I… I need some space."

"Weren't you just gone for a month and a half?" Dumbledore asked curiously, "it is not safe for you to be leaving the castle so much these days."

"I know, but I've made a decision." Emily said sternly, "I need to spend the remainder of this year at Flourish and Blotts."

Dumbledore gave her a concerned look over the tops of his half moon spectacles.

"Are you going to tell me why?" he asked softly.

"It's for the best, I think," Emily said. "Do you trust me Dumbledore?"

"Of course my dear. This is hardly a matter of trust. I'm just worried for your well being." Dumbledore assured, "but I suppose I won't get a more detailed explanation from you, will I?"

Emily smiled apologetically. Dumbledore sighed.

"Very well. I will alert Ms. Blotts that you shall arrive in the morning." He said softly.

"Thank you sir."


	10. Chapter 10

Where had Emily been? Harry didn't understand why he was so concerned. Emily could take care of herself. But every time she disappeared, Harry felt an awful feeling settle in his stomach.

"She's Dumbledore's apprentice Harry." Hermione said, "Surely you didn't think she was going to be around all the time! He probably sends her off to do things for him."

The second task came and went. It was easily the hardest, most nerve racking challenge he had ever had. If it hadn't been for Dobby bringing him the Gillyweed, who knows what would have happened. And of course, he had almost died because he had taken the stupid song from the egg seriously, and saved both Ron and Gabrielle. Though Fleur was grateful, Harry had felt like an idiot. He had looked up into the stadium, hoping to see Emily there, smiling reassuringly at him, but no such luck.

The third task was now fast approaching, and Emily still had yet to come back to Hogwarts. Whenever Harry wasn't doing homework, or practicing spells, his mind wandered over to her: what was she doing? Where was she right now? Why hadn't she come back?

One day, Harry was walking down the corridor towards the library, when he heard arguing. He didn't have his invisibility cloak with him, so he crouched by the doorway that the voices were coming from, and listened.

"Surely you must be curious, Severus," said a voice that Harry knew to belong to Mad-eyed Moody.

"Where the headmaster sends his apprentice is none of our business Mad-eye," said Snape.

"Well I tend to make it my business. I don't trust that girl." Moody growled.

"The headmaster trusts her. And why the sudden interest in Ms. Angeline, Mad-eye?" Snape sneered.

"I want to know why she keeps disappearing! Is it a crime to be suspicious?"

"Why don't you take this up with the headmaster?"

"I've tried, but he won't listen." Moody grumbled bitterly.

"Well, if the headmaster refuses to say anything, I would leave Ms. Angeline alone," and with that, Harry heard Snape exit out another door. Mad-eye continued down the corridor, mumbling to himself.

The third task was early that evening, when the sun was still setting in the west, and it cast long shadows on the ground. Harry and Cedric stood at the entrance to the maze, awaiting the blast of the canon.

There was a bang, and the two ran into the maze. They parted at the first split. Though Harry had expected there to be many obstacles and monsters to prevent him from obtaining the cup, he came across nothing. This made him feel very uneasy, like the maze was lulling him into a false sense of security.

Then, he heard a scream.

"Fleur?" Harry yelled, but his call was greeted by silence. He stood there for a moment, wondering what he should do. Should he go to Fleur and send up red sparks?

No, he said, he had to keep going.

And as he ran through dark, twisting maze, he began to get more and more panicked. Surely there had to be more than this. Was he going the right way?

He checked his wand the same time he heard a rustle up ahead. He began to walk towards it. Then, he heard Cedric's voice.

"What do you think your doing?" He yelled.

"Crucio!" said another voice that could have only been Krum's. Cedric began screaming in pain. Harry began to run.

"Cedric!" He bellowed, "Expelliarmus!"

Krum's wand flew from him hand, landing in one of the hedges.

"Stupefy!" Cedric cried, and in a flash of red light, Krum lay unconscious on the ground.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked Cedric.

"Yah… yah, thanks for your help." Cedric replied, doubled over and panting.

Then, Harry saw it. It was a ways down the path behind Cedric, glowing blue. The cup. Harry began to run. Cedric, catching on quickly, sprinted after him.

They were neck in neck, and about 5 yard away from it, when a massive spider lunged down on them from no where.

"Stupefy!" Harry yelled, but the curse rebounded off the giant arachnid's large underside. It came at harry, knocking him away. He slumped down onto one of the hedges, clutching his leg. It swelled with pain.

"Stupefy!" Cedric yelled. "Stupefy!" but each time, the curse bounced off. Harry tried to stand, but it was painful.

"Cedric!" he yelled, "on three!"

Cedric nodded, "one… two… three!"

"Stupefy!" they yelled simultaneously. The two streaks of red collided and hit the spider's belly. It froze and the collapsed, just barely squashing them.

The cup was theirs for the taking.

"Go on," said Harry to Cedric. He could hardly move his leg hurt so bad.

"No," Cedric replied, "No, you saved me. You deserve it."

"No, I'm not going anywhere on this leg. Just take it!"

"No," Cedric declared, stepping away from the blue glow. Then, Harry had an idea.

"Why don't we both take it," he said. Cedric's eyes widened.

"Both of us?"

"Yah. It will still be a Hogwarts victory." Harry said.

"A-are you sure?" Cedric stammered, looking longingly at the cup.

"Yah," Harry said, "yah. Together."

Cedric came over to Harry and helped him to his feet. They hobbled over to the cup.

"Together, on three," Cedric said. "One… two… three…"

They grabbed the cup at the same time, and Harry felt some kind of hook grab him from behind his ear. Then, they were traveling through a whirlwind of color and sound.


	11. Chapter 11

Harry collapsed on hard, cold ground. The cup flew from his grasp, and landed a few feet away.

"What the- Where are we?" Cedric asked softly. Harry blinked. They were not back at Hogwarts, where he had expected them to be. They were in a cold cemetery, littered with tombstones.

Suddenly, Harry's heart lurched.

"Cedric! We need to get out of here now!" He yelled.

"What? Why?" Cedric asked him.

"I've been here before, in a dream. Cedric, we have-" He began, when suddenly his scar burned. It was hot white pain that forced him to his knees. He clutched his forehead. He couldn't see the pain was so bad.

"Harry! What's wrong?" Cedric asked, panicked.

"Get back to the cup!" Harry insisted, "Now!"

Then, he saw two men. One was carrying the other. They were hidden by the shadow of darkness that had now fallen over the yard.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Cedric demanded.

"Cedric! No-"

"_Kill the spare,_" said a high, cold voice.

"Avada Kedavera!" yelled the other.

There was a flash of sickening green. Harry saw Cedric's body go limp and still as it landed with a thud.

Harry felt his body being levitated before he was shoved onto the ground and bounded. The man who was carrying the other approached harry, and he saw that it was Wormtail.

"You!" Harry shouted, but Wormtail stuffed something into his mouth, preventing him from uttering another word. He then flicked his wand, and the giant cauldron before them burst with flames. He began chanting.

"Bone of the father," said Wormtail, "you will revive your son!"

Harry heard a slash.

"F-flesh of t-the servant… w-willingly s-sacrificed…" There was hair raising scream, and Harry could see Wormtail fall to the ground, clutching his hand.

Then, he stalked over to harry, knife in hand.

"Blood, of the enemy," he hissed, "you will reawaken your foe."

Harry felt a sharp blade dig into his skin. Wormtail waddled back over to the cauldron and tapped the knife over the flames.

"The dark lord… shall rise… again!"

Then, the flames grew large and angry. Wormtail shrunk back into the corner of the yard and whimpered. Harry watched, terrified, as the flames died away to reveal something morphing inside the cauldron. It grew, and twisted in shape, until finally it resembled a man. It was a naked man, chalk white in complexion.

"Clothe me," it hissed, and Harry inhaled violently.

Lord Voldemort had returned.

Harry watched in shock as Wormtail threw robes over the naked body.

"My wand, Wormtail," He hissed. Wormtail withdrew a wand from his shirt and handed it to his master, bowing low as he did. Voldemort took it, and gazed at it. He was observing his new body with interest. He stepped out of the pot, gliding around, taking steps. He inhaled loudly.

"Hold out your arm Wormtail," He said in a high, cold voice. Wormtail was shaking as he held out his left arm to his master. Voldemort pressed the tip into the flesh and Harry's scar burned even more.

"How many will return when they feel it?" Voldemort said softly, "and how many will flee?"

He stepped away from Wormtail, who shrunk back into the shadows. He continued to gaze at his hands like they were some sort of miracle.

Then, all around them, men in thick, black cloaks began to materialize. They wore intricate masks that hid their faces. They created a large ring around the cauldron, and Voldemort. However, the ring had several large gaps in it. Harry thought more would appear, but Voldemort did not seem to expect more.

"Welcome," He hissed, "Thirteen years, and here you stand before me. Just like old times…"

Many stayed silent. Harry sensed guilt in the air.

"I am… disappointed, however. None of you attempted to find me. That faithful night when I lost all my powers, I thought surely some of you would come looking. Though, years passed and not one of you showed yourself."

The feeling of shame increased.

"I wondered, did they truly think I was dead? Lord Voldemort? I have gone farther than any wizard to protect myself from succumbing to such a weakness as death. Surely they knew I was still alive." Voldemort looked around at all the masked faces, "but after ten years of hoping, I realized that no one was going to come to my aid. I was alone. Luckily, I came across a young wizard while hiding in the forest of Albania. He was going to be a teacher at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I latched myself to him, and he became my servant. I wanted to return to Hogwarts for one particular reason. The Philosophers Stone was said to be hidden there. I hoped that in acquiring it, I could return to my body once more."

"I was then, thwarted again, by none other than Harry Potter," said Voldemort, turning his mutilated face towards Harry. Harry's head hurt so bad, he thought he was going black out.

"Back in the forest, weaker than ever, I waited. I thought maybe return would not be possible. Then, Wormtail found me, didn't you Wormtail?"

Wormtail let out another cowardly whimper as he continued to clutch his hand.

"Wormtail has been… very useful to me. He brought Bertha Jorkins to me. She informed me of this Tournament that was going to happen at the school. This information helped me a great deal."

Voldemort strolled over to where Wormtail was cowering.

"Though you came back to me out of fear, not loyalty, you have proven yourself Wormtail." Voldemort waved his wand, and a silver, metallic hand formed in place of the one Wormtail had cut off. Wormtail looked at it, mesmerized.

"Thank you master… thank you…" he bent down to kiss the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"So I used the cup as a portkey to bring Harry here. His blood was to be used to bring back my body. And here I stand before you all, alive and powerful…"

He then approached Harry, "And now it is time to match the power of Lord Voldemort to the famous Harry Potter. I will prove to you all that what happened that night was sheer luck. Now, untie him Wormtail and give him back his wand."

Wormtail violently untied Harry and shoved his wand into his hands. Harry was shaking and his scar throbbed.

"You have been taught how to dual I presume, Harry Potter?" Voldemort called to him, "First, we bow to each other."

Harry did not bow. He would not have Voldemort play with him before he died. He would stand his ground.

"Come now harry, I said bow," he said again, and this time Harry felt his spine curve against his will. He heard the jeers of the Death eaters around them.

"And now we dual." Voldemort said, and Harry knew what was coming. He flung himself out of the way as a jet of green soared towards him, and hid behind one of the headstones.

"Come now, Harry! We're not playing hide and seek." Voldemort mocked softly.

Suddenly, Harry saw someone crouched behind a gravestone not too far from him. They were concealed by a very thick, dark, black cloak. He thought it was a death eater, until the person raised their finger to their lips, signaling that Harry should not give them away. Harry just starred at them.

Then, he blinked, and they vanished. Had he been imagining things? Harry could hear Voldemort approaching his hiding spot, and he had little time to think.

So before Voldemort could round the headstone, Harry jumped out.

"Expelliarmus!" he cried.

"Avada Kedavera!" Voldemort exclaimed. There spells met with a clash, and something odd happened. Small beads began hovering along the connected spells. They shook and vibrated as the green and red fought to dominate each other. Harry didn't know why, but something told him that he needed one of those beads to connect with Voldemort's wand. He focused all of his concentration on it.

Then, there was a golden dome forming around the two duelers. It cascaded over their head, and then Harry felt himself being lifted off the ground.

"Do nothing! He's mine!" Voldemort yelled to his followers, as they made a tight circle beneath them.

Harry clutched his wand as tightly as possible. The shaking became incessant.

Then, something shot out of Voldemort's wand. Something large and grey. It took the form of Cedric.

"Hold on Harry!" Cedric called. Then two more shot out: an old man, and a plump woman.

"So he really was a wizard?" said the old man, "you beat him son!"

Then, another two. They landed right next to Harry and took the form of his mom and dad.

"Harry, you need to get back to the Portkey," Harry's dad yelled, "We can give you a moment, but just a moment, do you understand?"

Harry nodded vigorously.

"Harry, take my body back," said Cedric, "take it back to my parents."

Harry nodded again.

"Let go sweetheart," his mom said, "You're ready! Now!"

"Now!" Harry yelled, as he broke the connection. He didn't think he could have held on any longer anyways. He fell through the air and broke through the mass of death eaters. He sprinted towards Cedric's body.

"Get him!" yelled Voldemort. Harry lunged for Cedric as spells began to pelt their way through the fog that had been created as a distraction. The cup was a ways away. He could not drag Cedric's body over to it in time.

Suddenly, a death eater was standing over Harry, raising his wand.

"No!" cried a voice. Harry watched as the person in the black cloak lunged themselves over Harry, generating a shield charm that knocked the death eater backwards.

"Harry!" they cried, "go!"

"Accio cup!" Harry yelled, and the cup flew from the other end of the yard and into his hand. He felt the same familiar jerk behind his navel.

They were going back.


	12. Chapter 12

**EMILY ANGELINE**

The moment Voldemort returned to power, Emily felt sick. Her head began to hurt and memories washed over her just like they use to before Voldemort's powers got stripped away. It was a good thing Dumbledore had been so persistent in teaching her Occlumency. With difficulty, she managed to shove all the horrid memories away, and focus on saving Harry.

Emily had broken the promise that she had made to not interfere. She couldn't help herself. She had this nagging feeling that something would go wrong in her absence at Hogwarts. So she had left Flourish and Blotts early that evening.

Only, she hadn't gone back to the school.

Emily apperated directly into the heart of the graveyard, where she knew Voldemort's rebirth would take place. She hid behind a wide headstone. As night fell, darkness, and a thick fog, assisted her in hiding. She had to bite down on her knuckles to keep from jumping out and attacking everyone of those death eaters. But she managed to remain crouched in her hiding place, watching Voldemort return. Once his naked body stood upright in that cauldron, Emily clutched her head in agony. The thirteen years of bliss were over.

The only point when she moved from her hiding place was when Harry took off through the graveyard, towards Cedric's body. Unfortunately, a large death eater had followed him as well.

"No!" Emily cried as he raised his wand. She flung myself in front of Harry, and produced a shield charm that knocked him to his feet.

"Harry! Go!" She cried. Harry's lips formed words, the cup flew into his grasp, and he vanished.

Suddenly, the whole yard had gone very quiet. Harry Potter had escaped, but did they know that somebody else was there? Emily took tentative steps backwards, her wand raised.

_I need to apperate!_ She thought_, Now!_

She closed her eyes and focused on Hogwarts, but her head hurt so bad that she could not concentrate enough to apperate.

So she ran instead. The fog was so thick that she had no idea where she was going. She just knew, somewhere in this murky fog, death eaters were lurking.

At one point she stopped and clutched her head. She could feel a pulse throbbing, as a wave of nauseating pain hit her hard.

"Here!" called a voice from behind her. Startled, Emily let out a small scream and slashed her wand across the death eater's chest. He crumpled, and Emily continued to sprint in the other direction.

Finally, she broke through the fog. Emily saw the riddle manor, settled on top of the hillside overlooking the graveyard. She didn't know why, but she felt the need to get to the manor. Maybe, once there, she could conjure enough strength to apperate.

However, the moment she made to start running again, a large group of death eaters grabbed her by the shoulders.

"Oi! We got 'em!" cried one loudly. Suddenly very angry, Emily wheeled around and punched the one who grabbed her right in the jaw. He stumbled backwards, swearing. The other four raised their wands, but Emily was ready.

"Finite Incantatum!" She bellowed, and with a flash of light, all five were on the ground, unconscious.

Emily felt another headache threatening to strike. So she began towards the manor, determined to reach it before she gave into the pain again.

Finally, she was within a few yards of the walls, when she felt the hood of her cloak yanked downwards. She stopped. This was a mistake because her head began to burn like it was on fire. She tried to absentmindedly pull her hood back up again, but she was shaking too badly, so she pressed her palms to her temple instead.

"It has been a long time," said a high, cold voice from behind her. She froze. That voice made her blood boil with anger. It was the voice of a life ruiner. The voice of a heartless murderer.

"Yes, it has," Emily replied. Slowly, the pain was leaking away, but it would be back. It never truly left.

So Emily turned on the balls of her feet, and came face to face with the scarlet eyes that you saw before you died at the hands of Lord Voldemort.

Except, Emily had no intention of dying. Fueled by her rage, she raised her wand, and unleashed a powerful spell that cascaded over the hillside. It collided with Voldemort like a blast from a fire hose. Only, he did not collapse. He had just managed to deflect it before it hit him squarely in the chest.

"Just as beautiful as I remember," he said softly. Emily laughed cruelly.

"Flattery won't save you now Tom." She retorted, and cast another spell into the sky. It shaped itself into a very large fire ball that floated over their heads. Then, Emily flicked her wand downwards, and the fireball fell at a rapid pace towards Voldemort. He raised his own wand and the fireball exploded into ash that fell from the sky like black rain. But in that one moment, Emily had just enough strength to spin on her heels and apperate back to Hogwarts, leaving Lord Voldemort looking livid.


	13. Chapter 13

Harry felt numb inside as he told Dumbledore and Sirius everything that had happened. It was hard. He just wanted to go back up into the common room and sleep. But he pushed on, and wrangled out every last detail that he could recall from what had happened tonight.

"Harry," Dumbledore said, "you have faced terrors greater than anything any wizard has ever faced this evening-"

Abruptly, Dumbledore's door burst open before he could finish. Harry wheeled around in his seat, thinking of Voldemort, Bart crouch Jr., and Death eaters…

But it was only Emily… and she looked utterly dreadful. The moment she locked gazes with Harry, her own eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed.

"Emily!" Dumbledore cried out, and he rushed over to her. He helped her up and she leaned on him. As she got closer ad closer, Harry could see now that she looked ill. Her cheeks were sunken and purple, her perfectly porcelain skin had a greyish tint to it. The bags under her eyes made her seem old and tired. Was it Harry's imagination, or had she gotten thinner?

"I-I'm sorry Dumbledore… I couldn't stay away…" she mumbled. Dumbledore looked up at Sirius.

"Sirius, I need you to grab a green potion on the top shelf of that cabinet," He said sternly. "Hurry!" Sirius nodded and ran over to the cabinet. He grabbed the green potion and handed it to Dumbledore. Dumbledore then unjammed the cork and force fed Emily the concoction.

It took a moment, but Emily gasped and sat upright. The tint faded a bit, as well as the under eye circles. She put a hand to her head and groaned.

"What happened, Emily…?" Dumbledore whispered, putting her in his chair. Her black cloak fluttered around her feet. It looked oddly familiar…

"Wait a minute," Harry said, "I-it was you! You were the one who saved me in the graveyard!"

Dumbledore and Sirius looked at Harry incredulously, but Emily nodded.

"Yes, I did."

"Emily. What happened?" Dumbledore repeated with more haste. Emily turned to him.

"I couldn't stand not knowing, so I apperated into the graveyard. I watched the whole thing. I just needed to protect… to protect Harry… b-but I couldn't apperate back once he had gone. My head Dumbledore… m-my head was killing me."

She looked like a small, frightened child as she said the words. Dumbledore placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly, like it wasn't unusual for her head to hurt. "Keep going Emily…"

Emily took a shaky breath.

"I attacked his death eaters… then I ran for the manor over the hill. Then Voldemort himself… he saw me… and we fought… I was m-mad at him. After all he had done to me, and he was going to kill me!" she yelled, "but somehow I g-got back."

"How did you _know_ where he would retu-" Harry began, but Dumbledore immediately held up a hand to stop him.

"You did well Emily. You're safe now."

Emily took another shuddering breath, and shook her head.

"Dumbledore… I-I think he deserves to know." She whispered.

"Are you sure?" Dumbledore asked her, concerned. She nodded.

"Know what?" Harry asked.

Emily turned in the chair to face Harry. He noticed that even though she looked fragile and sick, she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

"A long time ago, I went to school with a boy named Tom Riddle." She began. Harry stared at her.

"That's not possible. He was before your time."

"Not exactly." Emily said, "you see, back when I was at Hogwarts, Tom had taken a-a liking to me. Well, perhaps it was a bit more than a liking…."

Harry was now gaping at her, but she continued like nothing was weird about it.

"I like to refer to it as an obsession. Anyway, he was quite charming. Only, he couldn't win me over. I suppose this really bothered him, because he began to do rash things… trying to force me to like him. Then…"

She paused, and held her hand to her temple a moment, grimacing. Dumbledore looked worried but she waved him off.

"I'm fine. Then, in my seventh year, the very last day of my Hogwarts education, he cornered me in a magical room called The Room of Requirement. He threatened me. He said if I did not join him, he would inflict a pain on me that was much worse than death. Of course I denied his offer, telling him he had gone mad. He then cast a very brutal, very painful curse on me."

She shook her head at the memory.

"What kind of curse?" Harry pressed.

"I-I believe that it's called a Potrix curse." She said, "It's one of the few, very dark spells that can keep one from dying. It keeps you at the same age forever. On the other hand, it's excruciatingly painful. The curse loves to bring forth horrid memories and images that could easily torture any sane person into madness. It takes years of control to master it. Tonight I… I guess I just wasn't expecting it to hurt so quickly… I was caught off guard…"

"Why did he do this to you?" Sirius asked, "If he fancied you, why would he hurt you?"

"I think he wanted to return for me, once he thought he was powerful enough to keep me in check." Emily chuckled at this, "He'd never believe that I would end up being almost as skilled as him fifty years later."

Something still didn't make sense to Harry.

"Wait, but that day when I came to you about my dream… you said it was foolish of you to think he wouldn't remember."

Emily smiled apologetically, "Yes, I did. It seemed that, what with his new hunger for power and domination, he had forgotten about me. But I found his forgetfulness was my advantage. For fifty years I trained with Dumbledore without having to worry about Voldemort planning to abduct me. "

Emily smiled weakly.

"But, what caused you to become so…" he paused, thinking it would be rude to say "fragile looking." But Emily just shrugged.

"Well… another aspect of the curse is that the stronger the person who put it on you, the weaker you become." She looked down at her lap. "It's how Dumbledore and I knew that Voldemort wasn't really gone that night he lost his powers. It was only a matter of time before he came back."

Harry wasn't sure what to say. Voldemort had risen again, and he clearly had a mind set to kill Harry. But was Emily in danger as well? Maybe Harry wasn't the only one Voldemort was determined to get rid of.

_We must kill her before she interferes too much. _Harry recalled Voldemort saying. _Before everything is ruined!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Year 5 – The Order of the Phoenix**

"What news do you have for me Avery?" asked Lord Voldemort. His white, spider-like fingers rested on the armrest of his throne. He drummed them impatiently.

"M-my lord," said Avery, "We have discovered that only you, or the boy, may remove the weapon from the shelves at the ministry."

Anger swept trough him like a wave.

"Well… this makes things much more complicated." Voldemort hissed. "The order is guarding it, I am sure?"

"Yes my Lord. They are taking it in shifts."

"And the girl?" Voldemort murmured.

Avery swallowed hard and refused to look Voldemort in the eye.

"She is a-among them, my lord." He said. "In fact, she takes more shifts than the rest of them."

Though Voldemort was still furious, he felt a sinister smile tug at the corners of his lipless mouth.

"That is good news. I expect you to position my forces accordingly in the department of mysteries. We will strike the moment she sets foot in the place."

"Yes my Lord… of course my Lord." Avery stammered and he slowly backed out of the room. Then Voldemort was alone. Just how he liked it.

He twisted his wand between his long, thin fingers, thinking. The girl was clearly much stronger than he thought, seeing as she was still alive. To be able to cope with such a curse required true strength and determination. He himself knew how strong it was because he had been the one who cast it.

But surely she was not so powerful that she was a threat to him… The curse was a heavy burden, and it would surely drain her of most of her strength. Still, he wasn't so sure. She wouldn't be taking extra shifts for the order if she couldn't handle them. Though he remembered Emily as foolishly brave, she was never impractical. She would never take up the positions if she thought she was endangering the mission.

Voldemort began to pace. A small spark of excitement ran through him as he pictured her in his mind. In the graveyard that night, he had been incredibly shocked to see her. Even more shocked when she managed to get away. But surely it was dumb luck… yes… just dumb luck that she had escaped him. It wouldn't happen again.

"My lord," said a voice. Voldemort whirled around to see who had interrupted his thoughts. It was Dolohov. "My lord, we have determined that the girl's next guard shift will take place on September first."

"Perfect," he hissed softly, "we will be ready."


	15. Chapter 15

**EMILY ANGELINE**

"I'm perfectly capable of taking this week's shift," Emily snapped at Mad-eyed Moody and Arthur Weasly, "Just because I had a small headache earlier, doesn't mean I can't handle this."

"Dumbledore just asked us to keep an eye on you," said Mr. Weasly, "We didn't mean to offend you."

"You haven't offended me. Look," she continued, "I wouldn't be taking up this position if I couldn't handle it. I know sometimes I can be foolishly courageous, but I wouldn't be doing this if I thought I was endangering the mission."

Mad-eye raised an eyebrow but neither of them said another word about it.

"Tonks will come by around midnight." Mr. Weasly proceeded to say, "If anything goes wrong before then, you know what to do."

Emily nodded. She had taken her fair share of watch shifts, and knew the basic drill.

"Got it. See you in a few hours." She said with a smile. With a head nod from Mad-eye, and an unsure grin from Mr. Weasly, they disapparated.

And so, Emily was left alone in the vast unknown that was the Hall of Prophecy. She took a deep breath. It didn't matter how many times she had done this before. Being alone in here definitely made her feel nervous.  
"Lumos," she muttered and her wand instantly ignited. She began to pace in circles around the orb infested shelves that glowed like small miniature moons.

The only thing she hated about being on duty tonight was that she was going to miss the big Hogwarts feats. Though, Emily wouldn't miss being introduced to Umbridge. Simply thinking of the loathsome woman made her seethe in anger.

_Relax, _she thought, _it's only for a year._

Instead, Emily turned to stare at the little, shining sphere that swirled over the number 97 nailed into the shelf. Strange, she considered how such a small looking prophecy could change the lives of so many.

Suddenly there was a noise. It sounded like a footstep. Emily turned gracefully, wand aloft and pointed in the direction of the sound. Her eyes narrowed. A death eater perhaps? But as soon as she thought it, the hall had settled into silence once more.

Swearing she heard something, Emily did not let her guard down.

"Hello?" She called into the darkness. Her voice bounced off the shelves but it was only greeted with more silence.

And then, Emily felt a presence right behind her. Smiling gloatingly, she murmured, "I knew it," and turned around.

A single death eater, wearing the familiar mask and draped with a dark cloak, stood tall as he stared down at her.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Emily said sarcastically to him.

His face was covered, but Emily could tell that he was smiling evilly beneath his mask.

"The dark Lord," He began, "Has requested that we steal something for him. Something of great importance to his cause."

Thinking that he meant the prophecy of course, Emily looked at him pitifully while twirling her wand in her fingers.

"I'm afraid I cannot let you do that," she cooed, "You'll only get this prophecy when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers."

"Ah," Said the Death Eater, "But you see, we have no interest in the prophecy tonight. Oh no. The dark lord has much bigger plans in mind for that."

Emily felt her smile falter in confusion. They didn't come for the prophecy? Well than what did they want?

"Tonight, the dark lord has requested for us to bring him… something else…"

Emily heard multiple chuckles from somewhere in the dark. There were more.

"Oh?" She asked naïvely.

"Yes… the dark lord's newest target, my dear, is you."

And at that moment, Emily felt several cloaked figures point there wand at her. But she was one step ahead of them all.

Emily spun on the tip of her toes and dissolved into white smoke. She then took off into the darkness of the hall, leading all the death eaters away from the prophecy.

"AFTER HER!" one of them called. Emily was breathing hard as she rounded one of the corner shelves. She pressed herself against it, her heart panting, as she listened to the rest of the death eaters running off in other directions in hopes that they might corner her. Meanwhile her head swirled with thoughts that didn't fit together.

Voldemort wanted his death eaters to… bring her to him? What, did he want to kill her himself? Why? What satisfaction would he get from that?

Unless he thought she was a serious threat… but that didn't make sense either. They had battled for two seconds in the graveyard a few months ago, and she had just barely escaped. He didn't know how powerful she was yet. She hadn't shown him enough for him to determine that.

Was he curious to see if it was really her? No… no he seemed sure that night when they fought. She was pretty hard to mistake for someone else.

"FOUND HER!" cried one of the death eaters who was gazing at her from the other end of the hallway. Emily's head snapped in his direction and her wand made a slashing motion. The death eater than gripped his throat as he tried to yell again but no sound came out. He tried to signal his position to the others mutely, but Emily had stood and was already strutting in his direction. He wasn't paying attention though, and she easily hoisted him up by the collar of his cloak and slammed him into the shelf. A few glass orbs smashed to the ground near their feet. Emily then slashed her wand again, and the Death Eater gasped.

"Nott?" called another one from far off. He tried to cry out but Emily pressed her knuckles against the Death Eater's windpipe before he could say a word.

"Hi, Nott. I have a question for you." Emily whispered. Nott tried to pry her fingers away from his throat but her grip was like stone. "What business does Voldemort have with me?"

Nott was gasping for air now, so Emily loosened her grip slightly so he could speak.

"Answer me, Nott. I don't want to have to do this the hard way." She threatened. Nott's mask hid his expression but he was clearly frightened by the way he was shaking.

"He… wants… you…" he barely choked out. Emily scoffed.

"I already know that. Your lovely friend told me. But why Nott? Why?" she insisted, slamming him against the shelf one more time.

"He… wants you!" Nott gasped agian.

Emily was grinding her teeth impatiently, and looking at Nott like he had the IQ of a pigmy puff. But slowly, her look of disdain morphed into one of confusion, as Nott's words began to make a little sense.

"He… wants me?" she repeated. She was lost in thought, and ignoring the fact that Nott had begun to turn a bit blue.

Then, she inhaled sharply. "No…" She said. Her hand released the death eater and he crumpled to the floor, coughing and sputtering.

Emily paid him no mind. She pressed a hand firmly to her temple, letting it dig into her skull.

And as her head began to throb, Emily saw flashes of memories so clear and vivid that they cut into her brain like knives.

Tom Riddle kissing her hand. Tom Riddle offering to carry her books for her. Tom Riddle kidnapping her best friends to blackmail her into coming to Slughorn's party with him. Tom Riddle digging his wand into her neck as his curse leaked into her veins like a lethal venom.

Tom Riddle kissing her…

She stumbled clumsily into the open hall, slightly delusional.

"THERE SHE IS! GET HER!" called a death eater, but Emily paid him no mind.

It was impossible. Voldemort could not love. The only things he _did_ love were his own life, and power. She had assumed that he wanted to kill her…

But he WANTED her.

And for some odd reason, this made her angry. Dangerously angry… after all he had put her through; all the pain and suffering, he dared to still have feelings for her? After he left her in the Room of Requirement to die? After he murdered her three best friends? After he became the evilest wizard that ever lived?

Emily was so livid that she was on the brink of losing control. Everything around her was like a blur as sweat from her forehead slivered down into her eyes. Her teeth were grinding loudly and her wand hand knuckles turned white.

"NOW! CRUCI-" began the Death Eaters un unison.

"FINITE INCANTATUM!" Emily screamed.

Only the odd thing was, this spell didn't come out of the tip of her wand. It seemed to erupt from her chest, like an unyielding force that expanded over the entire Hall of Prophecy. Prophecies on shelves were instantly shattered into millions of glass shards, and each death eater was thrown back like a bowling pin coming in contact with a powerful wrecking ball.

Then, it contracted and was sucked back into Emily, who was still muttering to herself bitterly as if nothing had happened at all.

"He dares! That bastard!" she mumbled.

She eventually realized that she had just taken on about half a dozen of Voldemort's supporters, but as she looked around, she saw that all the death eaters had disappeared in fear. Even the one she had practically strangled to death.  
"DAMMIT!" she yelled, and punched the unfortunate shelf next to her, which crumbled into wood splinters.

Then, she heard two cracks. She stood very still, listening to the hurried footsteps coming nearer and nearer.

"Emily!" called Arthur Weasly, "what-"

He looked at the disarrayed shelves and glass debris on the floor.

"What the hell happened?" growled Mad-eye. At that moment, Emily ceased her murmuring and pressed her hand to her forehead again.

"Ah! Ow… damn… I think I need to see Dumbledore." She groaned.

Mad-eye opened his mouth to protest.

"Dumbledore!" She demanded desperately, "Please!"

"I'll stay here until Tonks arrives. You take her." Mr. Weasly said.

So Mad-eye hobbled over to Emily, whose eyes were clenched shut, and took her arm. They took a deep breath, and disapparated.


	16. Chapter 16

"I told you Cornelius! I told you!" shouted Umbridge as she stormed up the stairs to Dumbledore's office. Her face was flushed with triumph. Harry was being hoisted along by the collars of his shirt by an auror. The minister himself looked fairly smug. "Dumbledore has been training forces to go against you!"  
Before Harry could even open his mouth to say that the whole thing had been his idea, not Dumbledore's, Umbridge blew open the door with her wand and waddled inside.

Dumbledore stood behind his desk. Emily was off to the side, observing a handful of books. Both of their heads snapped up when the door was banged aside.

"Good evening Fudge," said Dumbledore pleasantly, "my, my, this isn't a very good time-"

Umbridge, whose chest was now heaving in excitement, shouted, "Seize him!"

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose in surprise, but before he could utter a word, Emily was standing in front of his desk. Her wand was pointed at all of them.

"Now Ms. Angeline," Fudge began, "we do not want to have to do this by force-"

"Where's your proof?" Emily sneered at Fudge. Harry did not think such a lovely person could make such a disgusted face.

"We have a witness!" Umbridge cried. She then yanked the small girl, named Marietta, forward. She refused to look Emily in the eye, and only pulled her face deeper into her robes. It might have been because Emily was staring at her with the utmost dislike.

"Go on girl!" Umbridge urged, "Tell them."

But Marietta only shook her head and wailed. It was then that Harry caught a glimpse of a trail of horrible purple boils, arranged across her face so they spelled the word "SNEAK."

"Oh come now. Don't mind the spots. Tell them everything!"

Marietta continued to shake her head back and forth.

"Haven't you got a counter curse for this?" Fudge asked impatiently.

"I haven't managed to find one," Umbridge replied. Harry felt a wave of gratitude for Hermione wash over him. It was, after all, her idea to put a jinx on the parchment, so if someone in the D.A ratted on them, this would be their punishment.

Fudge began to sweat a bit, "No matter. We have the list here." He stood tall as he held out his hand for the parchment.

"It says here, on this parchment, 'Dumbledore's Army.' You have been recruiting students in the school. This is proof that you have been plotting against the ministry." He said calmly. Umbridge was nodding eagerly.

Dumbledore raised both hands over his head, as if in defeat.

"Well, I suppose the joke is up Fudge." He said.

"NO!" said Harry, "No Professor-"

"Please be quiet Harry or you will have to leave my office." Dumbledore told him calmly. Emily just looked at him, frustrated.

"The parchment clearly says 'Dumbledore's Army,' as you said Fudge. I am the one responsible for all this."

Fudge's eyes were now large and greedy as he looked over to one of his aurors.

"Send an owl to the daily prophet. We might be able to make the morning addition! And you Dumbledore will be escorted to Azkaban to await full trial. The same goes for your apprentice."

Emily looked murderous as she leaped forward. Her wand was still pointed at all of them. Harry was positive that she could kill them all then and there, but she simply muttered a few words through gritted teeth.

"Over my dead body."

"Yes…" Dumbledore was saying, as if deep in thought. "Yes I quite agree with my apprentice. We have no intention of going to Azkaban."

Fudge's smile faded and he stared at Dumbledore with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Umbridge was slowly growing the color of a tomato.

Harry saw one of the aurors slowly reach for his wand. Emily saw this and smiled sarcastically.

"Really, Dawlish? Don't be foolish now. We don't want to have to hurt you." She said.

"Are you saying you intend to take us all on, Ms. Angeline?" Fudge asked. "You and Dumbledore, against me, Dolores, Dawlish, Shaklebolt and Kingsly?"

"Certainly not!" she said, "unless you force us to."

"Enough of this!" Umbridge yelled, "Get them!"

There was a blinding flash of silver, and a bang that resembled a gunshot. Harry felt himself thrown to the ground by someone. There were shouts and more explosions, before silence rang. Harry looked up to see Emily, who had shielded him and Marietta out of harms way.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Harry nodded. She helped the two up.

"A shame," Dumbledore tusked, "I had to hex Kingsly too, or it would have looked suspicious."

"All for the best sir," Emily said. She had released Harry, sprinted to the upper level of Dumbledore's office, rustling around in drawers, as if looking for something. "I'm assuming that if you are leaving, you will want me to accompany you sir?"

"Oh yes," said Dumbledore thoughtfully, "Yes. If you were to stay, I wouldn't put it past Fudge to arrest you for assisting me in my crimes."

"Wait…" Harry said.

"Where will we go?" Emily asked, ignoring him.

"Oh we're not going into hiding. Fudge will soon wish he had never dislodged me from Hogwarts." Dumbledore replied.

"Professor Dumbledore…" Harry tried again. This time Dumbledore grabbed Harry's shoulders and looked him squarely in the eye.

"Listen to me Harry. You must study Occlumency as hard as you can. It is very important that you master it. You will understand why soon, but for now-"

"Dumbledore," said Emily as the unconscious people on the floor began to stir.

"Remember- close your mind-"

Fawkes circled high over the pair as they stood side by side. Then, both Emily and Dumbledore grabbed the phoenix's tail feathers. They then took off in a flash of fire, but not before Emily gave him a disturbing look of worry.


	17. Chapter 17

**Department of Mysteries. **

"HARRY! LOOK OUT!" shouted Tonks, who was battling one of the death eaters. Harry ducked as another jet of red was shot in his direction. It blew up the wall behind his head. He clutched the shining prophecy in his hand. Neville sat behind him, his nose bleeding, and his feet spasmodically tapping from a jinx that had hit him.

"Come on," said Harry, "Sirius said to get out of here! We have to find the others."

He tried to wrap his arm around Neville and hoist him up the stairs, but Neville's crazed dancing knocked Harry to the side. Harry stumbled; the Prophecy slipped out of his grasp, and hit the floor. Glass shards cascaded everywhere, and a light, white smoke rose from the remains.

"Harry, I'b sorry. I didn' mean-" Neville stammered.

"It doesn't matter," Harry said, feeling his stomach drop, "Come on."

He attempted to support Neville again, this time with both arms.

"HARRY, DOOK! IS DUMBLEDOE!" Neville yelled. Harry head snapped up to wherever he was pointing, and there stood Dumbledore at the top of the stairs. Following closely behind him, was Emily. She immediately began to send spells into the chaotic whirlwind below her. At the sight of them, some of the death eaters tried to run, but Dumbledore lassoed them back in like fish on a line.

_They were saved, _Thought Harry.

Suddenly, another spell just barely grazed his ear. He looked up and saw Bellatrix Lestrange staring at him with hatred. Though, just before she could send out another curse, Sirius ran up and shot his own jinx at her. They began a heated dual.

"Come on," joked Sirius, "is that the best you've got?"

And as the words slipped from his mouth, a green streak hit him squarely in the chest. Harry felt time slow as Sirius's face froze with laughter. He gently tipped backwards, and fell through the open archway that Harry had heard voices behind. Then, he was gone.

Harry caught a glimpse of Kingsly running up to take Sirius's place in the dual with Bellatrix, as Harry sprinted over to the archway.

"Sirius!" he yelled. He could hear the voices. He was there. Sirius was there. He was hiding behind the arch, getting ready to pop out and yell "BOO!"

"Harry," he heard Emily's soft, whimsical voice behind him. But he was preoccupied.

"SIRIUS!" he yelled. This was no longer amusing. Where was his godfather? How dare he keep him waiting. He peaked behind the curtain, but there was nothing there.

"Harry, please…" Emily repeated. Harry turned to see her face twisted in sorrow. "He's not-"

"HE-IS-NOT-DEAD! SIRIUS!" he began to frantically walk around the walkthrough, listening to the voices around him. He heard them…

"Harry, there's nothing you can do." She pleaded with him.

"He's just gone through. He hasn't-"

"Harry, please. He's gone. Sirius is dead."

Harry let the words sink into his head, but he still couldn't believe them. Sirius Black… dead?

He heard a high pitched cackle as Bellatrix's curse hit Kingsly. He stumbled back. She ran up the stairs. Emily tried to send a curse at her, but she deflected it with ease.

"SHE KILLED SIRIUS!" he yelled, outraged, "SHE KILLED SIRIUS! I'LL KILL HER!"

"HARRY!" he heard Emily yell but his mind was filled with anger and pain. He could not listen to reason anymore. He took off after Bellatrix.


	18. Chapter 18

**EMILY ANGELINE**

Emily watched Harry run up the stairs. She looked around frantically for help, but everyone was rounding up the last of the death eaters, unaware of anything else. Oddly enough, Dumbledore had vanished. Emily had a strong hunch as to where he had gone, but she had to be sure. So she quickly followed Harry up the stairs.

Immediately, she felt scared. Fear was not usually something that Emily felt, but she knew exactly what she would be facing if she followed Harry. And even though it frightened her, her feet continued to move, like they had a mind of their own. They made a clicking sound on the glossy black tile as she continued onwards.

Finally, she reached the heart of the ministry. The sleek black floor and walls shimmered off the reflecting light from the crystal chandelier. There was a large golden fountain that stood peacefully in the middle of the room, with a golden centaur spitting water from its mouth. She could hear Harry's screams and Bellatrix's cackling voice. Emily turned around and pressed her back against one of the large pillars that held up the ministry ceiling. Her chest was heaving violently and she could hear her heart pounding in her ears.

A small part of her still hoped that Voldemort's goal was to kill her. It would make things much easier.

_But when has Tom ever made things easy for you?_ She thought. The death eater's words rang clear in her mind.

_He wants you._

Then, Emily heard a hair rising voice. It was high and cold and gave her goose bumps.

"You know the spell Harry," it hissed, "she killed him. She deserves it."

"Master! Master pleas-" Bellatrix pleaded, "I didn't know. I was fighting the animagus Black."

"Quiet Bella," Emily heard him snap, "You think I have come here tonight to hear your sniveling apology?"

"But master please! They are here... they are below…"

Voldemort clearly paid her no mind, because he did not respond. Emily allowed herself a small peak towards the stairs, but the entranceway was clear. Where was Dumbledore? She knew Harry had but seconds left…

"I have nothing left to say to you Harry Potter. You have irked me for the last time." Voldemort hissed. Emily looked towards the fountain with gritted teeth.

"Damn," she swore.

With a wave of her wand, the statues on the fountain came to life, gallivanting off the golden pedestal. One of them pinned Bellatrix to the ground, and she gave a cry of defeat. The other bounded in front of Harry as the streak of green collided with its head. It blew off with a bang, and Harry was blinking rapidly; shocked that he was still alive.

"What-" Voldemort began, his face twisted with rage as he looked around for Harry's savior. Emily could no longer feel her heart beating, or any other part of herself. So it must have been her conscience that moved her from her hiding place and into the open.

She saw Voldemort's expression of anger replaced with one of amusement. Emily made sure to keep her own expression stone cold as she looked him squarely in his merciless, scarlet eyes. His mouth twisted into an evil grin.

In the ministry, Emily's view of Voldemort was much clearer than it had been in the graveyard. The graveyard had been covered in darkness and fog. Here, the polished walls and floors reflected his pale white skin to the point where it shone. It made him all the more intimidating.

"Ms. Angeline," he whispered, as if amazed. "What a beautiful surprise."

Emily scoffed, "trust me. It's a lot less beautiful from my point of view."

She began to walk towards Harry. All the while, her eyes were flickering towards the stairs. Surely Dumbledore would show up any second now…

"Expecting someone?" he hissed. Emily's eyes turned back to Voldemort.

"No… no, it's just you and me Tom."

"Excellent," Voldemort sneered, "just how I like it."

Emily made a sarcastic smile at him. "Why are you still here, Tom? The prophecy has been smashed, and the aurors are on their way… its over."

This time, Voldemort smiled.

"That's what you think." He began fiddling with his wand, teasingly, "the prophecy may have been smashed. But what's stopping me from killing Harry Potter?"

Emily looked at him with disbelief. "Me, of course."

Voldemort raised his eyebrows.

"You think you can defeat me?"

That was a good question, Emily thought, could she take on Voldemort alone? Was she ready?

"Yes," she lied.

Voldemort's smile grew larger. "Then, let us find out the proper way."

Emily took a large breath, and looked him in the eyes again. She may not be able to defeat Voldemort; he was not hers to kill. But she would protect Harry to the best of her ability. She moved her wand in a graceful figure eight.

"Let's." she said with a nod.

**HARRY POTTER**

Emily looked more beautiful then Harry had ever seen her, as she stared Voldemort directly in the eye. However, as he looked at her, Harry saw a certain coldness he had never seen in her before. It was almost… vengeful.

"Then, let us find out the proper way."

"Let's."

And they were off. Jets of green, blue, red, silver and purple light danced across the room. Curses were shot so quickly that Harry could not tell who had cast what. And Emily was just as quick with her feet as she was with her wand. It was almost as if she could predict when and where each curse would hit, and move just the right amount so it flew by and left her unscathed.

Then, Emily released a curse of such magnitude that Harry, lying feet away guarded by a gold statue, could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand as it passed. Voldemort was forced to conjure up a silver shield to deflect it. As it rebounded, it made the sound of a gong. Emily did not hesitate in the slightest and sent out a trio of blue, purple, and golden flames. They uncoiled from her wand and lunged at Voldemort. They then wrapped around him tightly, shield and all. For a moment, it looked as if Emily had won. Harry looked over and saw that she was as shocked as he was.

But then, the flames loosened their grip on Voldemort and fell to the floor. He waved his wand in an upward motion and formed a flaming serpent that leapt at Emily. Though, she seemed to be expecting this, because Emily expelled a large haze of black smoke that instantly clouded over the entire room in seconds. It lingered in the air and Harry couldn't two inches in front of him. The centaur did not let down its guard however. Finally, when the smoke cleared, Harry could see Emily struggling with some kind of fiery bonds that the snake had left behind. He heard a high-pitched chuckle.

"Impressive." It said. Emily began to wither madly inside of her bonds. Voldemort began to walk towards her, his red eyes gleaming with triumph.

"I do not wish for your beauty to go to waste," he said softly. Harry craned his neck and saw Voldemort caressing Emily's face with a long spidery finger. "Join me."

Emily scowled at him, and Harry saw sweat gathering on her forehead.

"Never," she spat. Voldemort's smile faded.

"Not much has changed in fifty years." He said, placing a hand on her chin and forcing her face towards him. "Still just as stubborn as I remember."

"Oh contraire Tom," Emily snapped, "everything has changed."  
At that moment, Emily's binds fell from her body. She gasped, but Voldemort held fast on her face, keeping her where she was.

Harry peered around the edge of the statue, and to his relief he saw Dumbledore standing on the other end of the room, his wand raised.

"It was foolish of you to come her tonight Tom," Dumbledore said calmly, "The aurors are on their way."

Emily grunted as Voldemort tightened his grip on her face.

"Yes, your lovely assistant has already informed me of this." Voldemort sneered at Dumbledore, "but no matter. By then you shall be dead, and she shall be mine."

Emily cried out at this and tried to pry Voldemort's fingers from her face. Luckily, this distracted Voldemort long enough for Dumbledore to jab his wand in his direction. Voldemort snapped his hand back from Emily, almost like her skin had scalded him. Emily scrambled to her feet and ran over to Dumbledore. She soon stood by his side, her wand raised threateningly.

And the three began to duel. Harry had never seen anything like the pair of Emily and Dumbledore. It was almost as if they were linked by the mind and body. If one made the slightest movement in their attack position, the other would adjust accordingly. If one blocked the curse, the other would attack without thinking. It was almost beautiful the way they corresponded in battle. Harry thought there could have been no possible way for Voldemort to fight the two of them together, but he was much more powerful than Harry thought. With great effort, he was able to keep pace with them. He blocked each curse and sent deadly ones towards them with immense precision.

Then, abruptly, Voldemort vanished and reappeared in the mutilated fountain. His killing curse streaked towards Dumbledore but Emily launched herself in front of it. Her shield bubbled out and the green streak faded as she repositioned herself. Harry looked back to the fountain only to see that Voldemort was gone again. Emily and Dumbledore's heavy breathing were the only sounds.

Harry made to stand from behind the stone centaur, and it made no move to stop him.

"Stay where you are Harry," Dumbledore demanded. He looked very worried.

And then Harry felt it. Pain splitting his head open. More pain then he had ever experienced before. He could feel a monster inside of him, gripping his mind with suffocating tentacles.

_Kill me Dumbledore_, it said.

Yes… harry thought, the pain… make it stop…

_If death is nothing, kill the boy._

Please… death would be mercy compared to this… kill me.

_Or, if you are willing, hand over the girl instead._

The… the girl…. Emily?

Harry felt his insides swell with affection. He thought of how she had saved him that night in the graveyard. How she had believed him about the goblet, when no one else did. How she had stood with him through anything, no matter how crazy it was. Then he thought of Sirius… Ron and Hermione… The D.A… the Order.

The creature's coils loosened and vanished. The pain ceased. Harry's eyes popped open and he sighed in relief. He could breathe again.

Until he heard a blood curdling scream. He sat up quickly, adrenaline pumping. Lying inches from him was Emily who was withering around on the floor like a fish out of water. Her breaths were coming in heavy gasps. She appeared to be possessed.

Voldemort was possessing her.

Emily let out another scream that was worse than the first. Her face was quickly draining of what little color she had. Her eyes bulged and the flesh on her body appeared to be shrinking, like she had taken an overdose of a weight loss potion.

"PROFESSOR, DO SOMETHING!" Harry cried, but Dumbledore looked helpless… this scared Harry very much. Were they just going to let her die?

Harry turned back to Emily who was now shouting "NO! NO!" Her eyes began to turn blood red, and Harry watched as a single tear leaked out of the corner and hit the tile.

Desperate, Harry grabbed Emily's hand and clutched it tightly.

"Please Emily! Please!" he begged. Her screams became softer as she grew weaker.

"No… no…" she murmured. Then, Harry listened as she whispered something aloud.

"You- you will n-never know love… o-or friendship, Tom…" She took a shaky breath, "and I-I feel s-sorry for you."

And then, her chest rose violently as a whirlwind of particles were sucked out of her body. Her skeletal appearance disappeared as her flesh returned and her eyes were green again. But she looked too fragile and ill as she lay there, unconscious on the floor.

"You will lose, Harry Potter," a voice hissed in Harry's ears. "Everything."

Harry turned around, but in a flash, Voldemort disapparated. Dumbledore ran to Emily's side and waved his wand over her, trying to revive her back to health. Harry felt numb.

"Minister!" cried a voice off in the distance, "I saw… you-know-who… just there!"


	19. Chapter 19

Harry lay awake in the hospital wing, Hermione reading the prophet beside him, and Ron across from them both.

"I don't believe this. They're all saying how strong you were against all the ridicule and accusations, when it was them doing all the accusing and ridiculing!" Hermione scoffed, "and the exclusive interview about that night in the graveyard is the same one from the quibbler that was published months ago!"

"Oh, yes," said Luna, who was sitting in a chair next to Hermione's beside. "They gave father a lot of gold for it. We're going on a trip to Sweden to look for crumple-horned Snorkacks this summer."

Hermione turned to look at Harry, and they both agreed it was best not to ask what a crumple-horned Snorkack was.

"Well, I bet Trelawney was finally fired." Ron said. "Mind you, Firenze isn't much better. The whole subject's useless if you ask me."

"How can you say that when we know that there are real prophecies?" Hermione asked.

Harry's heart began to race. He had not told Ron and Hermione that Dumbledore had actually told him the prophecy the night that they returned from the ministry.

"It's a real pity it broke… Harry, where are you going?"

Harry had stood abruptly, shuffling his feet. "Um… down to Hagrid's."

"Oh, ok," said Ron bitterly, as he looked out the window at the clear blue sky. "Wish I could come."

"Tell him hello for us!" Hermione cried as Harry walked out the hospital wing with a wave of his hand.

"How's things?" Hagrid asked him, handing him a large glass of juice. "you- er- feelin' all righ', are yeh?"

"I'm fine," Harry said hastily, not wanting to discuss his well-being, "so where have you been? After Umbridge made you leave the castle, where did you go?"

"Bin hidin' out in the mountains," Hagrid said, "in a cave like Sirius did when he-"

Hagrid cleared his throat, and took a sip of juice. Harry felt his insides twist violently.

"Look Harry, "Hagrid continued, "I knew Sirius longer 'n you did… he died in battle, an' tha's the way he'd've wanted ter go-"

"He didn't want to go at all!" Harry said angrily. Hagrid shook his head.

"Nah, I don' reckon he did," he replied quietly, "bit still Harry, he was never one to sit around and let other people do the fightin'-"

Harry leapt up again.  
"Just remembered. I have to go visit Ron and Hermione in the hospital wing."

"Oh," Hagrid said, looking rather upset, "alrigh', but Harry, if yeh ever need ter talk…"

But Harry had already crossed to the door and pulled it open. He stepped onto the grounds, and began storming back up to the castle. He felt lonelier than he had ever felt in his life. He didn't know where to go.

He just… needed to talk to someone who could relate.

Harry stepped into Dumbledore's office. It was filled with silver and gold trinkets that floated around in the air. Fawkes sat on his usual perch. Harry craned his neck around, looking…

"Hi Harry," said Emily, who was hidden in the far back corner, starring out a window. "Come in."

Harry tentatively shut the door behind him and strolled over to where Emily was sitting. He sat down. They stayed like that for a few moments, sitting in silence.

"How can I help you?" she finally said. Harry gulped. He wasn't sure he could speak. He didn't really want to talk about Sirius's death, but he had no where else to go.

"How… how to you cope?" he asked, trying to press back tears. Emily turned to look at him. She had a small smile on her lips.

"With?"

"With everything! With- with… all this…"

Emily was still smiling, but her face became sad. She looked at her lap.

"I don't" she replied. "I don't cope. Everyday is like going into battle for me. Every second I'm fighting this thing inside me."

"But you haven't gone insane, or anything," Harry pressed, "you have to have some kind of way to… to keep going…"

They sat in silence again. Harry pressed the back of his hands to his eyes and wiped away a few stray tears that had leaked out.

"We've been through a lot Harry. We've watched people die. We've endured pain that few have experienced." Emily said, "The way I force myself to keep going, my trick, is reminding myself that I'm not alone."

Harry felt his insides plummet. That is what Dumbledore had told him. But he could not help but feel very alone right now. He considered getting up and leaving again, but Emily wasn't finished.

"Think about it! Even though we lose people who mean the world to us, we aren't left with nothing. We still have others who love us. We aren't completely alone. I still have Dumbledore… Ms. Blotts… The Order…"

"What I'm trying to say Harry, is don't give up until you are left with completely nothing… It's kind of like a puppet, in my opinion. Though some threads may have snapped and left you dangling, you've still got plenty left for support. Don't lose hope until the very last string is cut."

Harry smiled weakly. "Great comparison."

Emily punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Thanks. I've been working on it."

Another moment passed. Fawkes let out a musical cry.

They sat together in silence, just watching the sunset from the window. Though Harry still felt miserable, he didn't feel so alone anymore.


	20. Chapter 20

**YEAR 6**

**EMILY ANGELINE**

She was back in the hallways of Hogwarts, but Emily didn't remember how she had got there. Something felt wrong, very wrong. She was alone and she knew someone was watching her.

"Emily…" said a soft voice suddenly. It echoed off the walls. It was hardly a whisper, but it was very loud all the same. Emily clamped her hands down on her ears.

"Hello?" she cried, panicked. But there was no answer. She tentatively walked up the corridor and looked around. She wasn't sure why she was here but she had this urge like she was… looking for something.

"Hello?" she cried again. Then, she felt hands clamped over her mouth and eyes. She squealed and kicked and thrashed, but the person was strong and did not let go.

"GEROFF ME! GEROFF ME!" she screamed. Then she blacked out.

Her eyes flickered open and the world before her was a spinning blur. The voices in her ears were muffled.

"What in the name of-" she began, and then there was a face. A face above her that looked much too familiar.

"Hello there," said Tom, "glad to see you're awake."

"Tom? What the- why-?"

"I'm becoming impatient."

"Impatient? Wha-"

"Your making things hard Emily. I can't wait that much longer. You will give into me soon."

"Hold on! Excuse me? Who do you think you are?" she demanded.

Tom smiled. "I think I'm Lord Voldemort."

Then, he stepped out of her way. Behind him, there were three girls lying against the wall, heads propped up. There eyes were wide open, but lifeless and cold. Their skin had no color, and their jaws hung down. They were dead.

Emily squinted, like she was thinking very hard. She gazed over the faces. Each one held a certain something that made Emily feel uneasy. Then she gasped.

"You killed them." She breathed. Tom stood beside her like a perfectly polished statue.

"They were in the way," he said casually.

Emily began to scream. She clutched her hands to her head and shriveled away from Tom as she stared at the bodies. He smiled evilly.

And then she woke up. Emily violently sat upright, her chest heaving. She felt her head throbbing with pain; like knives had been stuffed through her skull.

_Just a dream_, she thought to herself, _just a dream_.

But was it? Emily lay back down and massaged her eyes with the back of her hands. She knew Voldemort was getting impatient. Very impatient. And she knew that she might not be strong enough to continue fighting him. If Dumbledore hadn't showed up when he did at the Ministry a couple of months ago…

Emily sat up again, and decided that she could no longer sleep. Her head hurt too much. So she grabbed her sweater and began to brew a pot of tea. All the while she was thinking, because thinking was always something that eased the pain.

Voldemort always got what he wanted. He was good at it too. But something told Emily that he was having a hard time with her. Voldemort was not Tom. Tom was devilishly charming, and Voldemort was not. But Voldemort knew that taking her by force was not going to be easy. He had to charm her… persuade her…

But did he have any charm left in him? Tom Riddle's charm was cunning and deadly. It was something to be feared…

And if Voldemort had taken any of it with him through his journey with dark magic, than Emily had something to fear all right.


	21. Chapter 21

"Ah Harry! Come in!" Dumbledore exclaimed. Harry shut the door behind him before approaching the headmaster, who immediately walked over to a shelf and began rummaging around for something.

"I trust school is going well?" he asked.

"Yah," said Harry. "Um, sir? Could I ask you a question?"

"You just did. But you may ask another." Dumbledore replied.

"Where has Emily been? I haven't seen her since the start of term…"

Dumbledore grabbed something from the shelf he was shifting through and walked over to the cabinets that Harry knew contained Dumbledore's pensive.

"Well Harry, I'm glad you asked. I had planned for tonight's lesson to be all about Ms. Angeline actually."

"You… you what?" Harry asked, confused.

Dumbledore ignored him. "You could say Ms. Angeline is out doing some… errands for me."

"Errands, sir?"

"Yes. Since Voldemort's rise to power has become public, he has decided to come out from hiding. I have sent Emily out to protect the innocent people that Voldemort is fond of torturing."

"You mean, she's out there now, fighting him?" Harry asked, shocked.

"I'd say it's more likely she's fighting his death eaters, but Ms. Angeline is more than capable of taking care of herself Harry. I wouldn't worry."

Harry gave Dumbledore a feeble smile, but his insides twisted with unease.

"You remember last class when I showed you the first time I met Lord Voldemort?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, he came to Hogwarts September first and the sorting hat declared him a Slytherin the moment it touched his head. How soon afterwards did he find out that he shared the same gift as the famous Hogwarts founder? Perhaps that very night. But it never came to my attention that he had been using parsletongue to intimidate other children. Tom was actually quite a charming boy at school. Almost all the teachers were fond of him. He appeared to be a handsome and gifted orphan who was hungry for knowledge. This gained him much sympathy."

"But you weren't fooled were you sir?" Harry asked, "In the chamber of secrets, Voldemort said how you never liked him as much as the other teachers did."

Dumbledore smiled. "Yes. I certainly kept a very close watch on him. I think that Tom thought he had revealed too much to me back at the orphanage. He was careful never to do so again, but never tried to charm me the way he did with my colleagues."

"I have found it difficult to obtain memories from Tom's time here at school. Most people who studied here with him are too scared to say anything. This is why Ms. Angeline has been so helpful. You and I both know that Lord Voldemort paid very close attention to one person in particular. Lord Voldemort always got what he wanted, and made it almost like a game, to go after Emily. He enjoyed trying to woo her. And what made him continue to go after her time and time again was that she continuously refused. Tom Riddle, being who he was, a handsome young boy who had already achieved such greatness, was confused. He could charm almost anyone to do anything he desired. Anyone except Ms. Angeline."

Dumbledore opened the cabinet doors and the pensive floated out. It was filled with a silvery substance that appeared to be water, until Dumbledore poured something into it. It swirled around, and created images in the liquid.

"This is a string of memories that Ms. Angeline has been most kind to give to me," Dumbledore said. "After you Harry."

Harry leaned down and touched his nose to the surface.


	22. Chapter 22

He was in a room that had been decorated in lavishing fabrics and twinkling lights. There was music playing somewhere off in the distance. People were standing around, holding drinks and chatting, wearing fancy clothes. Then Harry heard a familiar voice behind him.

"… yes, I think it turned out quite well, don't you Agatha?"

"Yes, Horace. I say, you've done a splendid job decorating the place."

Harry turned around to see a much younger Horace Slughorn, with a full head of thick hair, talking to a much older looking woman.

"Yes. Valentines Day is always a special Holiday. Care to dance Agatha?"

"Oh I don't know…" the old lady shrugged.

"Come now; enjoy the party a little, eh?" Slughorn held out a hand and the old woman took it with a smile.

Harry turned to watch them walk onto the dance floor, and as he did so, his eyes fell on a particularly beautiful girl. Her hair was shiny and auburn as it ran down her back, and she wore a sparkling silver dress with a deep red lipstick. She smiled as she talked to another girl sitting next to her.

"Don't be shy Mackenzie! Go and talk to him!"

"I can't! He doesn't even know I exist."

"Rubbish! He's been starring at you all night!"

The girl next to her crossed her arms.

"If you don't go up to him right now, then I'll bring him over here." The beautiful girl threatened.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Watch me!"

"Fine!" said the other girl with a small smile. "I'm going."

The girl watched as her friend approached the boy at the other end of the room. Immediately Harry knew this was Emily. But she was very different. She seemed so much younger. So much more carefree. Her beauty was more natural, unlike the Emily he knew, who was so perfect it made your eyes sore just looking at her.

Emily watched the people around her, and sighed. Something seemed to be troubling her, but it was short lived as a very handsome boy came up from behind her.

"You look radiant," he murmured in her ear.

"Hello to you to Tom." She snapped.

"Dance with me."

"No thank you."

Tom smiled and sat down beside her. "Come on, one dance. What harm could it do?"

Emily looked at him like it could do a lot of harm. Tom raised his eyebrows innocently.

"Fine. One dance." She gave in.

He led her out on to the floor and wrapped his arms around her waist. The lights dimmed as a slow song came one. Harry could not help but notice that Emily was still a spectacular dancer. The grace of her body moved with the music. Tom wasn't so bad either. Harry could only guess that many girls would love to be in Emily's place just then, but Emily looked like she had a cavity.

"So the rumors are true. You are a spectacular dancer," Tom said aloud.

Emily scoffed. "Well, most rumors about me aren't true Tom, so I wouldn't listen to most of them."

"Really? Well if this one is true-" he swung Emily around and dipped her very low. "-Then who's to say that the rest of them aren't?"

"Alright Tom, you've had your fun." Emily sneered, clearly embarrassed. "Bring me back up."

"As you wish," he said with a smile, and spun her upwards. Only she ended up even closer to Tom then she had intended. He had ensnared her in his arms, her body pressed against his. She didn't look very happy about this.

"Cute," she said with a sneer.

"I must know one last thing." Tom asked her, "one last rumour. Is it true that you are secretly dating William Winifer?"

He asked this with a casual tone, but Harry could tell that he had wanted to ask this question for some time now. Emily turned a bright shade of magenta. Harry had never once seen her blush like that.

"That's none of your business." She said coldly, though she seemed thoroughly uncomfortable.

"So that one is true too…" Tom said aloud. His tone was now chilly and bitter, "Perhaps the rumours are much more accurate than you accounted for Ms. Angeline."

The song ended and Emily was the first to tear away. She turned on her heals and walked off, not bothering to look back. Tom remained on the dance floor, starring after her with a greedy look in his eyes.

The scene shifted. Harry was now standing in the ravenclaw common room. The walls were draped with blue and bronze. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace, and rain was pounding on the windows from outside.

"EMILY!" called a short girl with pixie blond hair. "SOMETHING CAME FOR YOU!"

"No need to shout!" Emily snapped, "I was right upstairs."

But the blond girl ignored her. There was an excited smile on her face as she dragged Emily to the front of the room where two other girls were sitting. One was the tall girl from the dance, and the other had brown hair and sharp blue eyes.

"Someone's got an admirer!" The blond girl sang, as she pushed Emily forward.

"She always has admirers," said the tall one.

"Shut it Mackenzie," said Emily, who was blushing again. Before her stood a large vase of flowers. They were beautiful and extravagant. A small envelope sat at the base of the vase.

"Well go on! Open it!" The blond one said, jumping up and down. Emily begrudgingly took the envelope and ripped it open. She began to read the letter. Only, the more she read, the more color drained from her face.

"Well, what's it say?" The brunette asked. Emily coughed hesitantly and began to read with a shaky voice.

"'To my dearest Emily, I hope you have considered the offer that I made a few days ago. I eagerly await your answer. Perhaps these will persuade you. All my love, Tom Riddle.'"

Emily looked up sheepishly from the card. Her friends looked stunned.

"This is… so romantic." The Mackenzie squealed.

"No! No it's not! You guys this is serious!" Emily reprimanded.

"What offer did he make you?" The brunette asked, moving over to sit next to Emily.

"It's… it's nothing… just some stupid get together."

"You're going right?" The blond one asked eagerly.

"No, Anne, I'm not." Emily snapped, "I would rather jump off the edge of a cliff than go anywhere with that boy."

They all looked at her like she had just said she was in love with the giant squid.

"But… WHY?" Anne demanded.

"He's dangerous. I know you guys don't believe me, but he is!"

"The only thing dangerous about that boy is how attractive he is!" Anne retorted.

"Emily," said the brunette, "what, specifically was this 'offer'?"

Emily sighed. "He and his little friends like to do creepy things out in the forbidden forest at night. He invited me to come to one of them. He didn't give many details. I refused, of course, and he hasn't let it go."

"Why do you think he want's you to come?"

"I have a hunch… but… it's a bad hunch…"

The girls waited for Emily to tell them what her hunch was, but Emily made no move that suggested she would.

"Whatever," Anne sighed, "I think you've gone mad. When you come to your senses, I'll be in the library."

And with that, she stormed off. Emily groaned.

Emily was in another room. Harry recognized this room at once as the room of requirement. The floor was polished wood and the walls were littered with dozens of mirrors. She was dancing.

Then there was a big bang at the door. It swung open to reveal Tom Riddle. Emily gasped and halted mid plié.

"How-how did you get in here?" she stuttered

"I know this room much better then you would think." Tom smirked. "Please, do not let me disturb your dancing."

"I am done," Emily said.

"No you are not." Said Tom, accusingly, "But it is quite alright. I love to watch you dance." Then, he conjured up a chair with his wand and sat. Emily was clearly itching to tell him off, but she took a deep breath, deciding it was not worth it. She continued her dancing just beautifully as before, pretending that Tom was not there.

When the music ended, she faced Tom, looking annoyed. Harry noticed Tom had a hungry look in his eye as he watched her, and he did not bother to hide it.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure?" said Emily quite sarcastically.

"You did not accept my offer." Tom said calmly, now playing at the gaunt's ring on his finger. Emily's expression shifted into dangerous one, as if she was preparing for battle.

"No, I didn't, but I warned you not to get your hopes up." She was panting heavily.

"May I ask you a question?" said Tom.

"Possibly," retorted Emily.

"What about me terrifies you so?" he said, with such a tone that he could have been asking what about him was so perfect.

Emily froze and looked at Tom, forcing her blue eyes to turn icy cold.

"And what makes you think that I am terrified of you?" She said with a stern voice.

"I can see the way you look at me… the way you flinch every time I touch you." He said softly and menacingly

"Perhaps, Tom, you are mistaking disgust and disinterest for fear." She said bravely.

"Call it what you want." He smiled at her, as if it were absurd that someone wouldn't be interested in him. "You have not answered my question."

"No Tom and I do not intend to," said Emily, now packing up her bag with her dancing shoes, "because there is nothing about you that I fear. In fact, you could say I fear _for_ you."

This did not satisfy Tom. He waved of the comment like an annoying fly, but looked more curious then ever. "I am merely curious as to what you find so… distasteful." He glanced up.

Emily looked like she was thinking about how to phrase her words without giving too much away. Finally she said:

"I know more about you tom then most people would think. And what I know I find distasteful."

She made a break for the door, but tom grabbed her shoulders, obviously not through.

"What is it that you know?" He asked, intrigued.

"I don't really feel like telling you." Emily snapped.

"I'll find out. I always get what I want."

Emily smiled at this. "So do I." She jerked her shoulders and walked out, leaving tom looking baffled.

Emily was in the room of requirement again, only this time it mostly empty except for a single mirror. Some streaks of light were coming in through the windows, casting shadows off the pillars. She was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, and her hair was in a messy ponytail. Then, she began to speak to someone.

_Time flies, doesn't it Nagini? _

Harry watched in utter shock as the great snake, Nagini, slithered from around the mirror.

_It seems like only yesterday my friends were showing me this room. _

The snake curled up into Emily's lap, affectionately. Harry's face went numb. There was that same familiar hissing undertone as she spoke… The way the snake seemed to be listening to her…

Emily was speaking Parsletongue.

_This school is like my home. I don't know if I'm ready to leave. _

The doors clanked loudly behind her. Emily whirled around in a panic, an anxious look on her face. But when the noise died down, she chuckled to herself.

_I'm being paranoid Nagini. I'm just waiting for him to jump out and attack me. _

Another loud clanking echoed off the walls. This time, Emily seemed sure someone was trying to get into the room. She stood suddenly, her wand clutched firmly in her hand.

_Hide Nagini. _The snake slithered back behind the mirror.

Emily got up and moved slowly towards the door, her wand raised.

"I- I need to see who wishes to come inside." She ordered to the room. To her surprise,the doors began to swing open.

"NO! ARGH! You stupid ROOM! I didn't mean let them in here!" she attempted to shut the doors, but they were already too far apart.

As expected, Tom Riddle stood on the other side. He strutted into the room like he had been invited. He turned and faced Emily. Her palms were massaging her forehead, like she had a massive headache.

"Good evening," Tom said politely, but his tone implied he was in a hurry. Harry could tell that Emily was about to snap a retort, but Voldemort cut his wand across the air and she was silenced. She grabbed her throat and tried to scream, but no sound came out. Emily looked quite angry. She made a very inappropriate hand gesture at Tom, who merely laughed. The doors to the room of requirement slowly shut behind them.

"I must speak." He said.

Emily was glaring at him, arms crossed, waiting.

"I have done some thinking, and I feel that you could be… useful to me." He said, smirking. "Come with me when we leave this school. We could be great together. I could give you everything you have ever dreamed of. Though, you have caused me much trouble, I am willing to forgive you. Refuse this offer and I will kill you. Your choice."

A few moments of silence rang between the two. Then, Emily began to laugh silently. Tom looked confused, so he slashed his wand again, and her voice miraculously returned.

"You think you can kill me Tom Riddle?" she said, "After all we've been through, you think _you_ can kill _me_?"

Emily sighed, as if reflecting on happy memories.

"Don't you dare underestimate me!" Tom hissed. Emily looked at him, and shook her head.

"I don't Tom. You're always the one who underestimates me!" Emily said. At that very moment, there was a hissing sound coming from the mirror. Emily froze where she was. Tom looked towards the glass, looking confused. Then, the great snake slithered back into view. Emily's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"A snake…" Tom murmured. Emily looked at him innocently, but he looked back at her like he was seeing her for the first time.

"Of course. It all makes sense."

"What does?" Emily asked nervously. Tom chuckled.

"You can speak to them, can't you?" he asked. Emily's face turned white.

"I-I don't know what you're-"

But Tom began advancing toward Emily with great strides before she could finish. She backed up at an equal pace, but ran into the mirror. He grabbed her by her throat and slammed her against the glass. She turned her head away from him, struggling. Tom's expression was a lot of things: fascinated, curious, shocked, greedy, and merciless.

_You can understand me. You've been able to understand me for years, _Tom said. The snake began to curl around his feet menacingly._ If you speak the language… you may be of more use to me then I thought_.

Emily looked at him lividly, but she remained quiet.The great snake began constricting Tom's legs together, but he paid it no mind. He began stroking Emily's cheek with a long finger that had yet to become the white bony one that harry knew, with a look of fascination. Then he whispered in her ear.

_Curious. You seem afraid of me now, _he hissed. Emily turned back to look Tom squarely in the eye.

_I will never be afraid of you!_ She said in parsletongue. Tom's smile faltered. He started to kiss her jawbone from her ear down to her neck. Emily attempted to jerk her head so he couldn't but he forced her to remain still. This didn't cease her efforts of struggle, however.

The snake had now coiled around Tom's leg completely, and was preparing to strike at it's pray.

_Stop._ Voldemort spoke calmly. The snake did so, unsurely. Tom then brought a hand across Emily's cheek so hard that she fell. It became a bright red patch against her snow white skin.

_Surely you do not think I am trying to hurt her… _Tom soothed. _Such a pretty snake. _The snake loosened its coil.

_He is LYING! _Emily hissed, but the snake seemed quite captivated by Tom Riddle's charm.

_Pretty snake. If anyone is the enemy it is her. Trying to force you to kill me. I bet she doesn't even feed you the human flesh you desire. _The snake began to slither away from Emily and it looked up tentatively at Tom.

_NAGINI! _Emily cried in outrage._ YOU STAY AWAY FROM HER!_

The snake turned and hissed at Emily, when, only moments ago, it had adored her. Emily rose to her feet, and wiped her nose on her sleeve. Tom moved his eyes from the snake to Emily. He hoisted her up by her neck again, and slammed her back onto the mirror. Nagini hissed encouragingly at his feet.

"You do indeed, have the most beautiful eyes." Tom said softly. Emily cringed, "the gold ring in the center is rare you know. It symbolizes your pureblood ancestry."

Emily looked at him, her chest heaving, and sweat prickling at her hairline.

"I see that you will not take my offer now, but maybe a few years will change your mind…" Tom raised his wand to Emily's neck, as she withered wildly. "But no sense in the beauty going to waste over time."

He pushed her tighter against the mirrors as a black tangled mess began to weave its way out of the wand.

"Fair warning: it may sting a little."

When it touched Emily's neck, she screamed. Harry had never heard cries of pain this torturous. They were blood curdling, hair rising, maddening screams that suggested someone was dying a slow, painful death. Harry shut his eyes and winced. He knew that no one would hear these scream of pain. He wanted to help so badly.

Then it stopped, and Harry heard something collapse on the floor. He opened his eyes and saw Emily, lying in a heap on the ground, lifeless and cold, but not dead. The black coils had spread throughout her body and became invisible, leaving behind a glow around her figure. Whatever imperfections she had before vanished, and she became the Emily that Harry knew so well: The Emily who was too perfect to be human. Her skin was white with no color, except for her neck. Where Tom's wand had been, was a large black circle that looked like a bruise. Emily whimpered softly before falling into a frozen unconsciousness.

"Now you shall wait, whether you wish to or not," Tom whispered into her ear. Emily's mouth lay ajar. Tom smirked as he leaned down and kissed her, long and slow. She did nothing but lay there, looking like a corpse. When he resurfaced, he exhaled triumphantly.


	23. Chapter 23

"SIR!" Harry cried as he and Dumbledore resurfaced from the pensive.

"Shocking isn't it?" Dumbledore said softly. "I always knew Tom was mischievous, but it was never brought to my attention that he was threatening an innocent girl."

"I don't believe this." Harry said, and he sat down. His head was still filled with sound of the torturous screams.

"It is disturbing."

They sat in silence for a few moments, and Fawkes gave off a low musical cry. Then, Dumbledore walked back over to his desk.

"We shall start with the first memory. I think you recognized the setting Harry."

"One of Slughorn's parties." Harry said numbly.

"Yes. Back when they were at Hogwarts, both Tom and Emily were personal favorites of Horace. Emily tells me that Tom was persistent when he asked her to attend these parties with him. She was equally persistent in turning him down. At one point, Emily tells me, he became so obsessed that he kidnapped her friends, and threatened to kill them if she did not go with him."

Harry looked at Dumbledore, shocked. "What did she do?"

Dumbledore smiled, "Well, you and I know that Ms. Angeline is much tougher than Tom Riddle thought. No one got hurt, but I think Tom was put in his place for awhile. Anyway, Emily had been secretly dating a seventh year named William Winifer. Of course, it wasn't a secret for very long. I am very sad to say that, after that Valentines Day, William tragically died."

Harry's eyes widened. "He d-died sir? Voldemort killed him?"

"I think it's safe to say so, but this was Tom Riddle. He covered it up brilliantly, making it seem like a potions accident. Everyone had thought William had been foolish enough to drink a freezing potion mixed with a heating solution, which creates a highly toxic brew, on a dare!"

"But that's absurd!" Harry exclaimed.

"Glad to see that we're on the same page."

"Now, the second memory is more interesting. Tom had asked Emily to accompany him into the forbidden forest, where she said he and his so-called friends did 'creepy things.' You recall that she said she had a hunch as to why Tom wanted her to be there? Well, Ms. Angeline refuses to tell me what her hunch was until we obtained that memory from Slughorn. I have a hunch as to what her hunch might've been, but I refuse to share it until I am sure…"

Harry nodded, determined to get the memory from Slughorn this time around.

"Sir?" he asked again, "were those her friends? In the common room with her?"  
Dumbledore nodded. "Four of the brightest witches I had ever seen attend this school. Their names were Anne, Mackenzie, and Julie."

"Did Emily ever tell them why she thought Tom was dangerous?"

"No, unfortunately. She won't tell me either. I'm guessing that she had some kind of evidence that Tom had killed William, but I cannot be sure."

"Which brings me to the third memory. Tom seemed to have the same questions as us. Why did Emily think he was dangerous, when no one else did? How was she impervious to his charm? She tells us that she knows something about him that she finds distasteful. Does she know that he killed William? Or something else? I don't think Tom ever found out why, but this memory begins to show us Tom's more obsessive side. He wanted Ms. Angeline more than even she knew."

"The fourth memory. Now, before we go into this one, I think it's only fair to tell you a bit about Ms. Angeline."

"She can speak parsletongue." Harry said eagerly.

"Yes, she can. And you remember when Tom said how the gold ring in her eyes was a symbol of her pureblood ancestry?"

Harry nodded.

"Well, Ms. Angeline is the last descendant of a very ancient wizarding family. Have you ever discussed the Hyslains in History of Magic?"

"Erm…" Harry stammered. He wouldn't know because he had a knack for not paying attention in that class.

"That's alright. I'll give you a brief summary," Dumbledore said, "The Hyslains were cruel and harsh wizard rulers back in the eleventh century. What made the family so fearful was the fact that the Hyslains were part snake."

Harry's jaw dropped. "P-part snake?"  
"Yes," said Dumbledore calmly, "they had many snake-like qualities, one of the most infamous being parsletongue."

"So, if Emily is a descendent of them, then she's…"

Dumbledore smiled, "Part snake, yes. But seeing as her ancestors lived centuries ago, I'd say it's safe to say that the snake in her has been diminished to almost nothing."

Harry could suddenly see why Voldemort found Emily so appealing. If he didn't know better, he'd say that they were meant for each other.

"Now, I'm thinking you were a bit shocked when you saw Nagini in this memory. Let's be clear that Nagini knew Emily before Voldemort. Emily kept her a secret from everyone, even her friends. Nagini was quite fond of Emily, seeing as they could talk to one another. Emily cared for her like a beloved pet. However, Tom was much more skilled with parsletongue than Emily was, and easily persuaded Nagini into becoming his instead."

"Sir, what about the… curse?" Harry asked. Dumbledore sighed.

"The Potrix Curse is a very painful way to prevent oneself from dying. As Ms. Angeline has already informed you two years ago, it freezes you at one age forever… That is, if you can stand it."

"If it keeps you from dying, why didn't Voldemort use it?" Harry asked.

"Like I said, it is an excruciatingly painful way to keep yourself immortal." Dumbledore explained, "Voldemort secretly fears physical pain, and I don't think the idea would have appealed to him that much. No, I have a feeling he used other means of dark magic to defy death."

"Like what sir?"  
Dumbledore waved his blackened hand at Harry, "Now is not the time to explain. Get the memory first, and then I shall tell you of my theory."

"So, Voldemort used this curse on Emily… so she would stay alive…"

"Yes. So he could come back for her, and her beauty would not have gone to waste. This is what Ms. Angeline has told me. Only he forgot about her due to his newfound hunger for power once he left the school. If it hadn't been for Ms. Angeline's cunning and strength, and my skill, she might not have lived to do her thrilling tale justice."

"But, the curse keeps you alive right? So she wouldn't have died…"

Dumbledore clasped his hands together and placed them on his desk, "Not exactly. The thing about a Potrix curse is that you must be able to survive it before it, in turn, can keep you alive. Most witches and wizards have perished under the curse because they could not withstand the anguish that it causes. It takes true magical strength in order to live through the first few days."

"But Emily didn't die." Harry demanded.

"Yes, like I said, she is a very strong and smart witch. But frankly, and excuse my lack of modesty, if she had not found me when she did, she probably would have died."

Harry nodded, suddenly feeling overwhelming respect for Emily.

"And you've been training her ever since," Harry thought out loud, "to protect herself in case Voldemort ever returned."

"Yes." Dumbledore replied, "That is correct. And return he did."

"And now he… wants her?" Harry said feeling disgusted. Dumbledore smiled.

"Yes. Make no mistake Harry. Voldemort cannot love. What he feels for Emily is the same greedy and selfish desire that he felt when he was Tom Riddle. He considers her a valuable possession, instead of a human being. I do not think Voldemort would ever be able to distinguish her from Slytherins locket or Hufflepuffs cup from the memory I showed you last class…"

Dumbledore paused, and scrunched his eyebrows together, as if he were thinking hard. Harry waited patiently for him to continue.

"Voldemort does not love Emily, but there is something about Emily that distinguishes her greatly from Voldemort's other possessions. Only it is imperative that Voldemort never finds out about it. If he does, than he will use this difference to his advantage…"

"What is it sir?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore sighed and rubbed his forehead stressfully.

"I hate to say it, because it makes things more difficult than they need to be… But it has been evident to me for some time now. Ms. Angeline is in love with Lord Voldemort."


	24. Chapter 24

**EMILY ANGELINE**

Emily was hearing the vast, creepy echo of the pipes as she walked through the sewage. The rats squeaked and scattered around her feet. She was peering through each small vent that emitted a very limited amount of light into the storm drain. Her eyes squinted sharply and her wand was at her side. At the slightest sound she would whirl around violently, but there was never anyone there. Death Eaters would never travel via underground pipes. Not glamorous or dramatic enough. No, Emily had picked a sure fire way to reach her destination without being caught, even if it was a more gruesome option.

Finally she reached another opening and peered through it.

"Lumos." She muttered. Her wand ignited. She stuck it through the drain and looked for a street sign. And there it was.

"Lavish & Tweak Drive." She murmured to herself, nodding. She then stowed her wand in her pocket and clambered out through the opening, which was just big enough to allow her passage.

Cool night air, which did not smell of waste or dirty rats, whipped around her person. She inhaled like it was the most heavenly sent in the world. She looked around, but the roads were empty, and dead quiet. Emily began walking down the drive, looking for an address in the dark. She didn't dare use her wand for light out in the open, for fear of being spotted. Her heels clicked on the cobblestone as she rounded the corner and looked intensely at the large brick house to her right.

Then she stopped. An unsettling feeling landed in her stomach as she stared at the house, which was always a good sign that she had reached her destination. She immediately tasted a bitterness in her mouth. These visits were always unpleasant, and Emily never enjoyed them, but they were crucial.

Taking another deep breath, Emily strolled up the walkway and was soon staring directly at the front door. She felt numerous magical enchantments surrounding her, but she was a particularly powerful witch, and these protection spells were weak.

Emily knocked on the door with the edges of her knuckles. Behind it, she could clearly hear the dropping of a platter and a series of swearwords. Clearly this person had not been expecting company, which was exactly what Emily had hoped.

"Coming, coming!" called a raspy voice. Emily waited patiently as the person stumbled clumsily over to the door and yanked it open.

It was a small man, no bigger than five foot one, standing hunched over the door frame. His eyes were large and frightened. Emily noticed that he was not wearing shoes and his feet were long, knobby, and covered in warts.

"Hello," she said with a dazzling smile, "is Mr. Augustus here?"

The little man's jaw dropped as he stared up at her. He seemed incapable of speaking. Then, he shook his head like he had been in some kind of trance, and implied for her to enter.

"Of course, Milady Angeline, r-right this way…"

He hobbled off into the house and Emily followed in eager pursuit. The house was grand and covered in lavish red velvet. Many gold accents glittered off shelves, and somewhere in the distance, classical music was playing. Emily's hands were growing sweatier by the minute, but she stuffed them behind her back, and smiled so broadly her cheeks hurt.

The stump man led her into one of the back rooms beyond the drawing room. This one was open and light. Many widows gave you a spectacular view of the cloudless, starry sky, and the endless landscape behind the house. A large, cushiony chair was turned away from Emily, but she could see a single hand holding a smoking pipe propped up against the arm. The short man bowed deeply. Emily could see that he was shaking violently as he did so.

"Mr. Augustus, sir. Ms. Angeline is here…" he said.

"Show her to her normal seat Harold." Mr. Augustus snapped. Harold nodded quickly, and dragged another chair over.

"Thank you Harold," Emily said as she sat, but Harold had already stumbled off, clearly terrified.

Emily turned back to Mr. Augustus, adjusting her posture and placing her hands properly in her lap.

"You made sure you were not followed?" Mr. Augustus asked quietly.

"Yes…" Emily replied, shivering as she recalled the rats, "I made sure."

The elaborate chair swiveled back around to reveal an older man with a gray patch on his black hair, and a small beard on his chin. His eyes were small but alarmingly sharp. He wore a velvet robe to match the fabric on his walls.

"Good. Now, what does Albus Dumbledore want now?" He hissed. Emily grimaced.

"The usual. How many deaths has Voldemort planned for this week?" she retorted. Mr. Augustus's skin tone turned slightly green at the sound of Voldemort's name, but Emily disregarded this.

"About twenty-five." He said.

"I need names Mr. Augustus." Emily snapped, as she took out her wand and waved it so a notepad and quill fluttered onto her lap.

Mr. Augustus took a deep smoke from his pipe. He then proceeded to exhale so the smoke flew into Emily's face.

"You know… I'm becoming quite wary of this little routine we've settled into." He thought aloud.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Albus has assured me that he will pay you in full by the end of this week. Now, please Mr. Augustus, I need names."

She held her quill to the paper expectantly but Mr. Augustus ignored her.

"What if the dark lord finds out that I am assisting you? Gold will not be enough to pay for that."

"He won't find out so long as you keep your end of our bargain," Emily said through gritted teeth, "Now give me the names please."

"But the dark lord always has way of finding out."

Emily exhaled, frustrated.

"Mr. Augustus, I don't like you. I think you're a thieving, slimy git. Not to mention you are a death eater, and I'm not particularly fond of them in general. You don't like me either. But Dumbledore has made a deal with you. You give us information on your master's future death toll, and in return we shall pay to get you out of your extreme depts. So, unless you want to go to Azkaban for depriving the ministry of its rightful tax money, you will give me the names that I require!"

On the last word, her voice rose in anger. Mr. Augustus hardly even flinched. In fact, he was smiling.

"What do you do with all the names that I give you, Ms. Angeline?"

"That is classified." Emily said coldly.

Mr. Augustus nodded, but his hand slowly grabbed the Daily prophet that was lying on a nearby table. He opened it up, and to Emily's surprise, he began to read.

"'Ms. Emmeline Vance; cornered in her house on Tuesday, August 21st by death eaters. The dark mark had been cast above the manor, but there was no evidence that Ms. Vance had actually been killed. Many witnesses say that they saw her being escorted out of her burning home by another person. Sources cannot confirm who this heroic soul might've been…'"

Mr. Augustus peered over the tip of the paper. Emily's expression remained stone cold, but her heart was racing faster than ever.

"Hadn't I told you that Voldemort was planning to kill Ms. Vance the very week before this event occurred?"

Emily shrugged, "I cannot recall."

"You have been preventing these murders, Ms. Angeline, and the dark lord is not happy."

"You honestly think I care what Voldemort thinks?"

"It is unwise to provoke him like this."

"I don't give a damn!" Emily yelled, "Now Mr. Augustus, give me the names, or I will curse you and take them myself!"

Suddenly, somewhere off in the distance, there was a high, cold laugh. Mr. Augustus and Emily froze.

"Shit…" Emily muttered, and before Mr. Augustus knew what hit him, Emily flicked her wand, and he fell unconscious in his chair. She thought he would pull something like this eventually, the traitor.

She got up and sprinted for the door, but a black figure appeared before she could yank it open. She turned and ran for one of the windows, but the figures were already there, blocking her exit. Then, there was that laugh again, like someone was highly amused by her attempts at escape. Emily spun around, looking for the source or laughter. Then, she felt a chilling presence behind her.

"So happy that you could join us," the voice hissed. Emily stopped breathing.

"Tom," she acknowledged. She refused to turn around and look at him. Instead, her mind spun with thoughts, trying to think of means for escape.

"Take care of Augustus," he hissed to one of his death eaters. Emily heard a shuffling of feet, the sound of someone hoisting up an unconscious body, and then a loud crack that signaled a disapparation.

"Have you been eavesdropping?" Emily said sarcastically.

"Augustus informed me of the deal you two had. He will be punished severely, of course, but I took it as an opportunity to see you again." Voldemort replied softly. "You have become an obstacle in my plans. Augustus was quite right. I do not like to be provoked."

"And I don't enjoy watching innocent people die," Emily said furiously. Voldemort laughed again. She could feel him coming closer and closer. Soon, his body was pressed against her backside. Something was keeping her rooted to the spot, and he grazed his finger along the side of her face.

"Then I shall make a deal with you." Voldemort murmured. "Come with me, and no one else shall be harmed."

This time, it was Emily who laughed. She knew that was easily the biggest lie Voldemort had ever told.

"I don't make deals with the devil." She said.

"You would be wise to." Voldemort replied, his finger now running over the skin on her neck. "I keep that promise that I made fifty years ago. I could give you everything you have ever wanted…"

"Says the man that took everything I ever loved away from me." Emily retorted bitterly. Voldemort chuckled, like she was the most amusing thing in the world. Like she was his funny little toy…

"Come with me…" He repeated, and Emily gasped as she felt his soft lips graze her neck tenderly. He grabbed her arms and held her there. Something inside Emily leapt eagerly at the touch, while another part of her felt repulsed.

"Kill me." She whispered. Voldemort looked up.

"Now why would I kill the very thing I want most?"

"I'm an obstacle, like you said. I will not rest until I have foiled your plans, so kill me!" Emily said bravely.

"I feel I am torturing you more effectively by keeping you alive."

Emily turned her head around slowly to meet the gaze of the piercing red eyes that haunted her dreams. Below them was an evil smile, suggesting triumph.

So Emily smiled back.

"You'll want me dead soon enough."

Then, she plunged a shaking hand into her robes, withdrawing her wand, and blasted out a magnificent force that showered light all around her. The death eaters flew back into the windows, smashing the glass. Voldemort released her, but took out his own wand in retaliation. He sucked the force back into it, like a vacuum. It whirled around madly like a tornado, blowing trinkets off the shelves and demolishing potted plants. Then, it was gone in seconds. Only she and Voldemort remained.

"You are indeed, much stronger than I thought." He said lightly, though his red eyes watched her intently. Emily grinned.

"That was only the tip of the iceberg."

Then, she did a spectacular pirouette and vanished into thin air.


	25. Author Alert

**Author Alert**

**Hey guys! I am so sorry about the delay in updating. I started working at my new job, but this week is my last week. I swear, august will be filled with writing. I plan on finishing this story before school starts in September. Don't fret!**

**Thanks for your patience,**

**Anne**


	26. Chapter 26

"We need to get you to madam Pomfrey sir!" Harry exclaimed as he and Dumbledore dismounted their brooms at the top of the astronomy tower.

"No," Dumbledore wheezed, "no… I need Severus Harry… Severus."

"Alright, Snape then." Harry agreed, although he resented the thought of going to Snape for assistance.

"Rosmerta said the dark mark was cast over this very tower," Dumbledore muttered aloud, "Quickly Harry. Fetch Severus for me!"

Harry put on the invisibility cloak, and was about to turn and run down the stairs in search of Snape, when he heard a door clank shut at the bottom of the tower. Then, there were hasty footsteps.

Harry felt himself seize up, suddenly. He could no longer move. His body teetered before it fell back, only to lean against the astronomy tower walls. And from behind the staircase came that unmistakable head of white blond hair.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Malfoy cried. Harry watched as Dumbledore's wand, which had been pointed at Harry, flew from his grip. Harry then understood. Dumbledore had frozen Harry so he would not give himself away. He had given up his only chance to defend himself.

"Good evening Draco!" Dumbledore cried cheerfully, "And what brings you here this fine summer evening?"

"Who were you talking to?" Draco asked stiffly, his wand still jammed in Dumbledore's direction. "I heard voices!"

"Oh, I often talk aloud to myself. It helps me think." Dumbledore said easily.

There was another sound from the bottom of the tower. Screams, and another door shutting. Harry's heartbeat quickened. Somehow, Draco had gotten Death Eaters into the school, just as Harry had suspected all along. But how?

Dumbledore seemed to be thinking along these lines as well.

"There are more." He pondered, "How?"

Behind Draco's fearful expression, Harry saw a glimmer of pride.

"The vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirment." He said, "I've been mending it all year, right under your nose, and you didn't even know it."

"Ah. I'm assuming it has a twin?" Dumbledore asked.

"The one in Borgin & Burkes. They form a passage."

"Well done," Dumbledore exclaimed as if Draco was a model student that had done well on a test. "And all without getting caught."

"Yah," said Draco, looking proud. Then, his eyes flickered back to his own wand, which was shaking violently.

Dumbledore saw this. "Draco. You are not a killer."

Draco's eyes widened at the words.

"How do you know what I am? I've got you disarmed and cornered! I could kill you any second now!" Draco yelled.

"Oh, I think if you really intended to kill me, you would have done so by now." Dumbledore admitted casually.

The footsteps and cries below became much louder. Harry struggled to move against the magical binds that kept him there, but it was no use.

"Draco," Dumbledore continued, "you don't have to do this."

"I do!" Draco retaliated, "I have to! I have to kill you! Don't you understand? Or he'll… he'll kill me!"

Finally, the footsteps reached the top of the stairs, and around the corner came a handful of people draped in thick black cloaks. Both Draco and Dumbledore turned to look at them. The one in the front lowered their hood.

It was Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Well, well. Look what we have here." She crooned. "Dumbledore alone and wandless. Well done Draco."

Draco took a shaky breath and turned back to Dumbledore, who had raised both hands in the air.

"Good Evening Bellatrix," Dumbledore greeted. "I think introductions are in order, don't you?"

"Sorry Albus, but I'm afraid we're on a bit of a tight schedule." Bellatrix replied. She then looked at Malfoy expectantly.

"Do it!" She hissed.

"He doesn't have the guts. Just like his father." Said another death eater. "I'll do it."

"No."

Harry peered out of the corner of his eyes to see Snape, his cloak billowing around his ankles, his black eyes staring at Dumbledore with the utmost resent.

"Severus." Dumbledore began. His tone had changed drastically to one that almost sounded like begging. This scared Harry more than Death Eaters. Was Dumbledore giving up?

"Severus… Please."

There was the smallest moment of silence. Then…

"AVADA KEDAVERA!" Snape cried. With a blinding flash of green, Harry just barely saw the body of Albus Dumbledore tumble over the end of the astronomy tower.

His scream was stuck in his throat.

Harry felt the freezing charm lift off his person as the brigade of Death Eaters exited the tower. He threw off the cloak and ran to the edge, where he peered over. Dumbledore couldn't have died… It was impossible. Dumbledore just… couldn't be. There had to be some other explanation… a plan he didn't know about…

Putting the cloak on again, Harry tripped and stumbled his way down the stairs, groping around on the railing and walls for support. His legs were shaking so violently that it was a miracle that he stayed upright.

Then, before he could reach the door handle and fling it open, he heard the Death Eaters voices from behind the wood. Blood boiled and he felt angry enough to kill. He didn't care anymore about who lived or died. He wished he was dead.

However, something kept him rooted to the spot as he listened to the voices, clenching his fists and biting his tongue so hard it produced blood.

"We're not done yet." Bellatrix sneered. "The Dark Lord insisted that she be brought to him. I will find her myself."

"That was not part of the Dark Lord's plan!" Harry heard Snape exclaim loudly, not bothering to whisper. "The girl is to be left alone until we can find better means of obtaining her!"

"What better an opportunity than this? She's here! In the castle somewhere! We'll get her at last, and I shall remain the dark lord's most trusted-"

"Quit the talk, and let's just find her!" Harry heard another voice say that he knew belonged to Fenir Greyback. "We're wasting time!"

"WAIT! THIS WASN'T PART OF THE PLAN!" Snape cried, but Harry heard a series of footsteps indicating that the group had run off. Then, Snape began after them.

Harry's insides were squirming aggressively as he opened the door with sweaty palms. Dumbledore dead… it seemed impossible…

And now they were going to ambush his apprentice.

He ran down the hall under his cloak. He had to find her before they did. He just had to… because Dumbledore couldn't. Dumbledore was her best defense. Dumbledore kept her safe.

And now he was dead, leaving them all vulnerable.

As Harry ran, he passed many faces that he recognized from the Order. They were fighting. All of them. Flashes and streaks of color danced around the room, between bodies. Chaos reigned as spells were shouted and collided with their targets. Harry felt another odd pain in his chest as he saw his friends battling for their lives. He almost threw off the cloak to go and help them, but then he remembered that they had taken the lucky potion that evening before he left to go Horcrux hunting. Emily was in more danger then they were… he had to think of her…

Finally, he reached the doors that lead onto the grounds and flung them open, sprinting into the night. He could hear the group of Death Eater's laughter not far from him.

Harry felt his head spin, and become clouded with rage. Emily was pushed to the back of his mind as anger took over. He flung off the cloak as he began to run towards the sound.

"SNAPE!" he yelled into the blackness. "HE TRUSTED YOU!"

He rounded one of the hills and there they were, turned towards him.

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

His own spell bounced off the shield Snape created almost instantly, and hit Harry in the chest. He was flung backwards onto the ground. He back hit the turf with a crunch and he groaned loudly.

Then, white, hot pain, slithered down his spine and spread throughout his bones. He began to scream as he withered around madly, trying to fling off the fire that was inside him.

"NO!" Snape shouted to Bellatrix, who was laughing at Harry's pain, "He belongs to the Dark Lord!"

The Cruciatus curse was lifted and the pain instantly left, leaving Harry weaker than ever.

"Just having a bit of fun!" Bellatrix teased.

"Stay away from him you filthy, horrid, bitch!" cried another voice that clearly didn't belong to a death eater. Harry hoisted himself onto his elbows and turned around. Behind him stood Emily, shimmering in the light of the moon, wand aimed at the lot of them.

"Well look at that! We were just looking for you!" Bellatrix cackled.

"The deed is done Bella." Emily hissed menacingly, "Leave these grounds while I still permit it."

This sent all the death eaters, except for Snape and Malfoy, into howls of laughter.

"While you permit it? Look at this! Thinks she's all high-and-mighty now! What are you going to do about it sweetie?"

Emily scowled and it made her look so terrifying that Harry shriveled away from her in fear.

"I might just have to kill you." She snapped. Then, as Harry watched her, he could have sworn he saw her pupils fluctuate a little. They became thin and snake-like.

They looked like Voldemort's.

Before Harry could even be sure of what he saw, Emily jammed her wand upwards and a jet of water flew from the tip. It grew to the size of a massive wave in a fraction of a second and towered over the hill they all stood on. It then crashed with a force so strong that Harry flew backwards into a tree and slammed his head into the bark. He saw stars and the edges of his vision turned black.

The entire yard had become a raging ocean that slammed down on each on of the death eaters the moment one of them tried to come up for air. Finally, after what seemed like many minutes of this, Emily slashed her wand in a downwards motion, and the water parted. It then evaporated in billows of steam, rising off the grass. All of the Death Eaters lay stunned and barely breathing on the ground before her feet. With a crazed rage glimmering in her eyes, Emily walked over to Bellatrix, who lying on her side gasping for air, and grabbed her by her collar. She then proceeded to hold her up above her head. Emily must have been much stronger than she looked, because she held up Bellatrix like she hardly weighed a pound.

"I hate being underestimated." Emily snapped harshly. "Now get out or I will kill you. And believe me; I will make sure it is a very slow and painful death."

She then dropped Bellatrix carelessly, and turned on them all. The death eaters began to sit up, holding their heads and looking dazed. Bellatrix looked scarier, and more livid than ever, but she said nothing as she stood and disapparated.

As they awoke, one by one, they ran off into the woods and vanished with a crack. Soon, the only one remaining was Snape. Harry was itching to curse him… to make him hurt. He tried to reach for his wand, but he felt a shooting pain in this arm, so he shouted angrily instead.

"COWARD!" Harry yelled at Snape viciously. He thought he saw anger flicker across Snape's composed face, but in another moment, he had vanished.


	27. Chapter 27

The sun set and the skies became black. No stars shone to give hope of any kind. The clouds were thick and hairy and the dark mark loomed above the tallest tower.

Harry and Emily pushed their way between people, clasping each others hands so tightly Harry couldn't feel them. But it didn't matter because every part of his body was numb anyways. He knew what he was going to see. He felt sick, like he needed to run. But his legs kept bringing him forward subconsciously. People parted for them. Faces of grief were littered with tears, though there were no sobs. Everything was quiet.

And then, the last people parted. Dumbledore's body lay sprawled across the ground; arm slumped over his chest, lying on his back. His eyes were closed.

This was when Emily gave Harry's hand the most painful squeeze yet and broke free of him. She ran to stand in front of Dumbledore's body and just looked at it for a moment. She stood there frozen, and staring.

Then, she collapsed into a heap beside it, her wand clicking on the stone as it fell from her grasp. It rolled over to the feet of Professor McGonagall, who made no effort to pick it up.

Harry didn't want to look at the body. He felt tears slivering down his cheeks. They were hot. His insides were swelling with sorrow. He knelt down next to Emily, unable to look her in the face.

She was mumbling "No. No. No." it seemed to be the only words she was capable of saying then her voice grew louder.

"No- don't you leave me Dumbledore. Dumbledore you can't. You can't do this. No. No- please! PLEASE!"

She grabbed his beard and robes in fistfuls, like she were clinging to Dumbledore's life, and muffled her face onto his chest. The tears were running faster down his cheeks now, and Harry sobbed as he listened. Here they saw their biggest hope, lying dead on the ground, killed by someone he trusted.

"No!" she shouted one last time, her voice cracking. Harry too wanted to do this. He wanted to give in to his sorrows, but he couldn't even find enough strength to do this. He could only sit there next to Dumbledore's lieutenant who was sobbing quietly into his dead body.

"Why did you leave me? Why did you have to go?" he heard her whisper.

Harry looked up at the dark mark, floating above their heads. Then, he saw a wand raised high into the air. He turned around, his vision blurred by pooling tears. Professor McGonagall's arm shook as light shone from the tip of her wand. She was pointing it at the dark mark. Harry noticed the smallest bright patch penetrating the thick, dark clouds. Then, students, and other teachers all held their wands up to the sky. Most of them never looked away from Dumbledore and Emily. Their wands produced a strong aura of light that shone in the sky and reflected off the mark. but it wasn't enough. The mark still hung low and ominous.

Then Harry saw out of the corner of his eye, Emily sitting up from her position. She refused to move from Dumbledore's side, and held her hand out for her wand. Harry was about to go get it for her, when he saw it fly over to her outstretched hand. When she grasped it, it seemed to give her comfort. Then, she, too, lifted it high over her head, producing the most blinding ball of light yet. It shot into the sky and diminished the dark mark into a puff of condensation.

It seemed all she could manage before resting her head on Dumbledore's chest again, and breaking out into fresh sobs. Harry looked at her, and then placed his arm around her comfortingly. He wasn't quite sure how long they stayed like that, but he didn't really care. Dumbledore was dead. Dumbledore was gone, and he wasn't coming back. No one would come to save them anymore. It was only them now.

Eventually, teachers began assisting them away from the body. Harry had no strength left to fend them off. He wanted to stay with Dumbledore, but he felt hands moving him away slowly. Emily was another matter. She was screaming, threatening anyone who tried to move her. Teachers tried to be gentle, but she violently shoved them away, only burrowing her face deeper and deeper into his beard. Eventually, Professor McGonagall ran over to Emily and embraced her. Emily's face was beautifully distorted into utter sadness and torture. Harry wanted anything more then to help her, but he himself was incapable of feeling. He didn't watch to see what happened next. He was escorted inside and the next thing he knew he was in his bed.


	28. Chapter 28

**Year 7**

"Ah, Severus… Yaxley…You are very nearly late," said the high pitched voice that belonged to Lord Voldemort.

The two strolled into the room where a long, wooden table greeted them. Every seat was filled with Death Eaters. They were clearly the last to arrive.

"Yaxley, down by Dolohov. Severus, next to me…"

They took their designated seats obediently.

"You have news, I trust?" Voldemort hissed eagerly as he turned to Snape.

"My lord. They will move him Saturday next at nightfall." Snape replied, and then Yaxley cut in.

"I've heard differently my lord. Dawlish has told me that Potter will be moved the Saturday at the end of the month. The day before he turns seventeen."

"This is a false trail." Snape said loudly. The whole table went quiet. Voldemort turned back to him. "The Auror office no longer plays a role in the protection to Harry Potter. Those closest to him believe that we have infiltrated the ministry, and the Order will have nothing to do them."

"Well they weren't far from the truth now were they?" said another death eater at the end of the table. It was followed by a series of laughter, but Voldemort made no sign that this amused him. His hand caressed the diamond shaped head of Nagini, resting on his lap.

"Any progress on that Yaxley?" He said softly. Yaxley stood, looking proud.

"My lord, I have managed, with great difficulty, to place the imperius curse on Pius Thickeness."

There was an impressed murmur of consent from the table. Voldemort twirled his wand in his long fingers.

"It's a start. But I will not attack Scrimigour until he is surrounded by my men. One wrong move and we could end up back where we began." He announced. "Now, where will the boy be taken?"

"Most likely a safe house from someone in the order." Snape continued. "Once there, it would be impractical to attack."

"Have the flu networks been cut off at the ministry?" Voldemort asked Yaxely.

"Yes, and the apparition systems have been monitored." Yaxely said hastily. "They will be trapped in the boy's home unless they move out in the open."

"Good. They will be more visible that way. Now, what of the girl Severus?"

The temperature in the room turned cold. Many death eaters looked down at the table. Bellatrix lestrange turned a deep shade of magenta. Someone coughed awkwardly.

"She will be moving the boy with the rest of the Order." Snape said obviously. He alone seemed unaffected by the mention of Emily.

"What? No protection for her?" Voldemort said, smirking.

"They felt she was very capable in protecting herself, my lord." Snape replied. Voldemort smiled evilly.

"Yes… That will make things much easier for us."

"My lord." Bellatrix croaked excitedly. Voldemort's scarlet eyes snapped to meet her brown ones. "I would like to volunteer myself for the task of killing the girl."

There was a hum of mutual agreement, but at these words, Voldemort's smile vanished. Death eaters suddenly had to look away from his gaze. It became too intense for most of them to endure.

"The girl will not be killed… yet." He said with a bone-chilling tone.

"M-my lord?" Bellatrix stammered.

"I want the girl brought to me alive. I do not care about the circumstances of how you do this, but she must be living."

Voldemort stood, wearing a scowl on his face. Nagini slithered out of his lap. "But even this has proved a challenge for most of you."

More feet shuffling and eye avoidance. Voldemort swept his gaze across the table.

"M-my lord… please. I can do it. I can bring her to you. It will not happen again." Bellatrix began to plead desperately.

"Lies Bella. If you hadn't been so foolish to disobey my orders, it would not have happened at all!"

Bellatrix shriveled back, seemingly disgusted with herself.

"All of you have disappointed me. Countless errors where the girl is concerned. I ask myself: Why? Why have my Death Eaters failed so miserably, when I gave them all such perfectly detailed, though out plans to follow?"

Everyone seemed fearful to breath.

"It is because you are underestimating her." Voldemort hissed bitterly. "You think simply because she looks like a child, that she has the magical skill of one? Ms. Angeline is no child. Now that Dumbledore is dead, she will be taking his place as one of the most powerful witches in the world! And my skilled followers are letting her beat them up, because they think too highly of themselves! They think they can manage her! "

Voldemort's rage was clear in his tone now. Everyone seemed fearful for their life, as if it would be their fault specifically that the girl still roamed free.

"I would not send some of my best after a child. Ms. Angeline is clearly more magically skilled and intelligent, than all of you put together! Now. This time, I expect results. Hold nothing back. Bring her to me at all costs."

"Yes my lord." They all murmured together. Bellatrix said it the loudest.

"I should hope you do well this time, or you will all be severely punished." Voldemort said coldly. He was determined this time. He didn't think he had ever wanted anything more than he had wanted the girl.

Except maybe, perhaps, the death of Harry Potter.


	29. Chapter 29

**EMILY ANGELINE**

"I want to go with Harry," Emily announced to them all. Moody rolled both of his eyes for the fifth time that night.

"No!" he growled, "Ms. Angeline, we have a plan. And we are going to stick to the plan because it's the best plan we've got."

"Harry will be safest if he's with me! You know this!" She pleaded.

"You don't think you-know-who has thought the same thing?"

"Of course, but even if he has, I can manage-"

"You'd be placing Harry in even more danger!"

Emily opened her mouth again but closed it.

"Harry goes with Hagrid," Moody said, "end of story."

Emily hated this idea. Harry was safer with her. Voldemort would figure out who the real Harry was eventually. Hagrid would never be able to defend himself, much him_ and_ Harry.

The fifteen witches and wizards scattered out onto the Dursley's lawn. It was dark and very cloudy out. Emily turned around, and behind her stood about seven Harry's. She blinked several times. This was not an image she could get use to. Eventually, she saw the one clambering into Hagrid's tiny motorbike sidecar. The real Harry. She waved and gave him a wink, though, truly, she was terrified.

"Oi! You think this color makes me look a bit fat?" One of the Harry's said to her. The voice didn't fit the amusing tone. Emily broke a grin.

"Oh, it's not the color," another Harry said who could only be George. He winked at her. Emily grinned at the two. They were easily her two favorite people in the world, next to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore…

Emily's throat suddenly swelled but she choked her emotions back down, filling her insides with numbness. She was use to it by now.

"Everyone… mount your brooms… and other various flying transports." Mad-eye growled as he stood at the end of the driveway, holding his staff with one hand. Emily moved to stand next to him. She would be accompanying him and Mundungus on Moody's broom. Even though she flat out refused for any protection from the order, Mad-eye somehow managed to convince the rest of them that she should ride with him.

Mad-eye was like the stubborn-ass father that she never had.

"On the count of three!" He hollered "ONE… TWO… THREE!"

Winds flipped her hair around her face as Emily watched broom, threstals, and a motorbike fly into the gloomy sky.

"Now it's our turn," Mad-eye said, walking over to his own broom, and dragging along the last whimpering Harry (Mundungus).

"Oh shut up. You're more protected than the real Harry. Quit crying." Moody snapped at him.

"Off we go, Mad-eye," Emily said with a smile, as she mounted the back of the broom. In seconds they were flying, and being blinded by most of the clouds.

"As discussed Ms. Angeline." Moody shouted over the wind in their ears. Emily nodded and slipped her wand out from beneath her cloak. She could see the flashes of spells through the dark, and hear the yells of battle above. Raising her arm above her head, she waited for Moody's signal.

"Now!"

With a grunt, she jammed her wand down and released a force with the magnitude of a small bomb. It exploded, and then expanded across the sky. It knocked death eaters off brooms, though most managed to cling on for dear life. Many in the order had been warned about this part of the plan, and clung tightly to theirs as well. Once the explosion subsided, Emily, Mundungus, and Moody flew at top speed into a haze of clouds.

And as planned, more than half of the death eaters followed them.

"WAHOO!" Emily yelled, feeling her stomach drop as they flew down at a dangerously rapid pace.

"Hold on to your seats!" Mad-eye yelled to the pair of them, and Emily cringed as they pulled up and sped away the same moment four death eaters collided with one another.

"They're gaining!" Emily called, looking back. She nailed five in the chest, and four in the head, but there seemed to be more coming in to replace all the ones she stunned.

"I figured as much!" Mad-eye screamed. And without a seconds warning, Moody turned the broom around in a full three sixty. The three clutched the wood for dear life. Emily clenched her eyes shut.

She felt the broom right itself again, and opened them. Only something was clearly wrong with what she was seeing. Mundungus, who had been sandwiched in between Emily and Moody, was gone. There was a large gap on the broom where he should have been.

And on top of that, they were slowing down. This frightened Emily more than anything.

"Mad-eye, what are you doing?!" She screamed, turning around and stunning three more. But the broom was slowly loosing acceleration.

"MOODY!" She tried again. She reached out and shook his shoulder aggressively. By the time she could process how cold, stiff, and lifeless it felt, Mad-eye's body had leaned to its right and toppled off the broom.

"NO!" Emily called as she suddenly reached out and attempted to grab his coat. It brushed her fingers ever so slightly before it slipped through. Emily watched Mad-eye Moody's dead body grow smaller and smaller.

It was oddly quiet now. The rustling wind was all Emily could hear as she continued to stare at the spot where Mad-eye vanished, denial filling her every thought. She felt that familiar coldness… that same sorrow that she had felt one too many times. It was just another loss. Someone else she cared about was dead.

And that was all.

Slowly, she pulled out of her shock and realized she was alone, on a broom, being followed by more than half of Voldemort's army.

And if Mundungus had vanished, that could only mean that he had seen Voldemort himself. Which meant Voldemort might be following her as well.

Emily gritted her teeth and grabbed the wood with shaking hands. She sped up and bolted through the nearest cloud, feeling the wet condensation on her face.

Voldemort couldn't follow her for long. He would go after the real Harry soon enough. She wasn't as precious as Harry. He would change targets soon. But Emily supposed she might as well keep him of their tail as long as possible.

Let's put on a show, she thought, for Mad-eye.

Emily had never been much of a flier. Anne was though. And granted, though her friend was dead, she had managed to show Emily a few tricks.

Twisting, Emily fell at a ninety degree angle. She continued to drop, letting the adrenaline rush through her heart, and knocked several death eaters off their brooms behind her. Voldemort was no where to be seen however. She turned and saw another crowd of them gathering below her, as to corner her in mid-drop. So Emily, thinking of Anne, pulled up of the dive with decent timing, sending quite a few death eaters smacking into each other. She continued to fly into clouds, hoping they would eventually shield her from their eyes.

That's when she felt it. A throb at the back of her skull. Just a small one. It made all the difference. Then, there was a voice speaking in hisses and snarls.

_You think you can run from me?_

Emily almost choked on her own spit as she inhaled.

_You can never run from me. I am always with you. Wherever you go. Your brilliant mind is filled with me._

The broom began to slow as she paid more attention to the voice. It seemed so close to her… right next to her.

_You can deny it all you like. But I will never leave you. _

Her head throbbed harder. No, she thought, he's trying to make you crack. He's doing this on purpose. Don't let him win!

_And I know you don't want me to. _

In a desperate attempt to make the voice leave her head, Emily swung around and blasted out a violent spell from her wand. She screamed out at the same time. Voldemort re- materialized about a foot from her right ear. Emily swung the broom around, trying to get as much distance from him as possible. There were those haunting red eyes. Tom was hiding behind those eyes somewhere.

NO! She thought again. This time, her head almost split open from the pain. FOCUS!

_MINE!_ It hissed.

Suddenly, Emily exploded. The same force that she gave in to at the department of mysteries expanded from within her chest. It knocked back everything in her path, dispersing clouds, leaving her view clear. This time, she was aware of what was happening. She watched as death eaters were yanked off their brooms, and thrown back all around her. It was like she was in the eye of a swirling, chaotic Tornado. She caught Voldemort's eye, and he looked absolutely murderous.

Emily almost laughed.

With a spin, she took off back into the clear sky. The force disappeared, leaving behind a mid-air wreckage. Emily heard Voldemort's yell of fury from where she was; listening as it became fainter and fainter.

Then, she flew through a bubble of enchantments. She recognized the home of which it was protecting. It was the Weasly's. Mad-eye and her were suppose to end up at his home, but the portkey there would have taken them here anyways. Somehow, they had veered of course a bit during the battle.

Emily didn't realize that she was headed straight for solid ground until she collided with the turf. The broom smashed to bits around her as she tumbled onto her stomach and groaned. Her bones felt like mush, and her blood was hot. Her head was still aching, but the splitting pain had subsided.

Emily was almost positive that what she had been through that evening would have killed any ordinary person.

For the first time, she was glad she wasn't ordinary.


	30. Chapter 30

Harry could faintly recall Voldemort appearing, his wand turning in his hands, and a bright flash of gold. This was followed by a scream, and the next thing he knew, he and Hagrid had crashed into the Weasly's pond about a half mile from their home.

"Oh Harry. Thank goodness you're alright!" Mrs. Weasly exclaimed. She then proceeded to embrace him tightly.

"Where are the others?" Hagrid asked seriously.

"Emily was the first to arrive. You two are the second," Mrs. Weasly said, her face morphing into a look of concern. Clearly, this frightened her more than she was letting on.

"Emily's back? With Mundungus and Moody as well?" he asked persistently, but before Mrs. Weasly could mutter a word, Emily came sprinting through the door. She embraced Harry tightly, practically choking him to death.

"Thank the stars you're alive!" She panted. Harry gently hugged her back, his heart skipping.

Then, there was a loud crack. The two broke apart and turned back towards the pond again. Lupin was approaching them, supporting what looked like another body.

"Help!" Lupin cried. Emily rushed forward and grabbed the other end of the body. As they came closer, Harry could see it was George. But something was different… the right side of his head seemed very bloody, and there was a hole where his ear should have been.

All of them followed each other inside the house, and Lupin set George down on the couch. Mrs. Weasly began to stroke the side of his head in a motherly fashion, her face etched with worry.

Another crack echoed through the plain. Harry and Emily rushed outside. Kingsly and Hermione approached them, both looking unharmed. Hermione rushed forward and gave Harry and even tighter hug than Emily had.

"They were on us from the start," Kingsly said to Lupin. "How?"

"Someone here must have betrayed us." Lupin replied.

"Mundungus… I never trusted him. Where is he anyways?"

Emily opened her mouth to reply to Kingsly, but another crack could be heard, followed by two more.

Fred, Mr. Weasly, Ron, Tonks, Bill and Fleur all walked into the clearing, together. Ron was taking of his Harry glasses that he had been wearing, when Hermione jumped him. Ron hugged back with equal relief.

"Are we the last back?" Mr. Weasly said. But then he caught Mrs. Weasly's expression as she stood in the doorway. He broke of from Fred, and hurried to meet her.

The lot of them moved back into the house, hugging and grateful that no one was dead. However, Harry noticed that Emily seemed quite cold for some reason. She simply looked expressionless as they all crowded around the couch where George laid.

"How're you feeling Georgie?" Fred asked with a concerned tone.

"Saint-like." George murmured groggily.

"W-what? Come again?"

"Saint-like… I'm holy Fred… see?" George points to the gaping hole on the side of his head. Fred wheezes out a relieved laugh.

"I'm holy? Of all the ear-related humor and you go for 'I'm holy'? That's pathetic," Fred says happily.

"Reckon I'm still better looking than you." George chuckles softly.

There was a moment of comforted silence, until Emily finally stepped forward and cleared her throat. She still didn't look anyone of them in the eye, but straight ahead instead.

"Mad-eye is dead." she said. The feeling in the room turned dark. Harry's insides plummeted. "Mundungus took one look at Voldemort and disapparated. It… hit him before I could even comprehend he was dead."

With this, Emily sat back down. Her skin was clammier than normal and her now bloodshot eyes had not moved from a certain point on the wall. The silence rang loudly in there ears.

Mad-eye Moody. Harry had never thought Mad-eye would die. He had always shown such determination to… live! It was incomprehensible.

Harry looked down at Emily, perhaps waiting for further explanation, but he could tell that there wasn't going to be one. Harry watched Emily become still, like she had already died long ago, and this was just her shell; showing no emotion, or will to live.

Days passed. The Weasly home slowly became lively again. Its occupants were trying to busy themselves with wedding preparations. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Emily, however, all began to plan for the inevitable hunt for horcruxes.

"The only problem is that we don't know where to start." Ron said with a sigh.

"Well," Emily continued, clearly happy to keep her mind busy, "We know we have to look for R.A.B. wherever he, or she, is will have the real locket."

"But we're about as close to finding them as we are the horcruxes." Hermione admitted.

Days turned into weeks. Fleur's charming French parents, and her little sister, came to stay at the burrow, where the ceremony would take place. They simply adored Emily. She was the true icing on the cake. She continually spoke French with them throughout their stay. Mrs. Delacour seemed persistent in knowing whether or not Emily was part veela.

"But surely you must be! It iz so obvious! Your skin glows vith ze veela blood!" she insisted.

"No ma'am, I promise. I have no history of veela relatives." Emily replied politely, not the least bit flattered.

By the time the wedding finally came, the yard had been plucked of imperfection, and the house had been scrubbed until it shined. Tents had been set up in the back, covering lavish purple rugs and twinkling lights dangled from the ceilings.

The house was bustling as people tried to get ready, seeing as there were about thirteen occupants trying to use the one bathroom.

Soon, it was only Harry, Ron, Fred, and George waiting for Emily and Hermione to finish up.

"Hurry up will you? We'll miss all the good seats!" George called.

"It's a wedding! How can there be good seats?" Ron asked.

"I'd prefer to sit next to one of Fleur's cousins, instead of Aunt Muriel." George retorted. "Gassy old hag…"

Then, Hermione descended the stairs wearing a very flattering purple gown. Ron's eyes bulged a little.

"You look great Hermione." Harry said with a smile. Hermione flushed.

Then Emily came down. Harry was almost afraid to look because he knew he wouldn't be able to turn away. But, in the end, he did. The Indian style patterned dress hugged her waist and flowed outwards. Her hair was knotted with intricate curls on the top of her head. In other words, she was breathtaking. Harry felt strangely airy inside.

"Wow… you look… wow" she stammered stupidly. Emily grinned for the first time all week.

"Do you like Hermione's hair? I did it myself." She replied.

The six walked down the carpet and hurriedly took their seats just as the music began. Every one stood and turned.

And as Fleur strolled down the isle, Emily's beauty was forgotten, because Fleur outshone everyone. Her beauty radiated onto everyone around her, making everything seem lovelier and brighter. Her gown made her look like she was floating on a cloud. It hardly seemed human.

She approached Bill who was smiling widely. The scar that ran down his cheek hardly seemed noticeable as he took Fleur's hand in his own. The priest beamed down at the both of them as the ceremony began.

"She looks lovely doesn't she?" Emily whispered to Harry. He nodded, not sure what else to say. He found himself looking over at Ginny, whose red hair burned in the light of Fleur's radiance.

Soon, it was over. Mr. Weasly raised his wand and all the chairs vanished. They were replaced with circular tables, and floating trays of drinks. Music played from somewhere inside the tent and people got up and began to dance.

The atmosphere was light and cheerful, as people everywhere became somewhat tipsy. Harry began walking towards Ron, when he accidentally collided with someone.

"Oh! Hello Luna!" He said.

"Harry! It's good to see you." Luna said graciously.

"You as well. How are you?"

"Oh I'm very well thanks. Though, I did get bitten by one of those garden gnomes a few moments ago."

"Oh," said another man coming up from behind Luna, "Gnome saliva is good luck! You were blessed to be bitten. You have been chosen Luna."

He looked up and made eye contact with Harry. "Mr. Potter! Xenophillius Lovegood. We live just over the hill."

"Pleased to meet you!" Harry said to Luna's father, shaking his hand.

"Oh the pleasure is mine. Luna has told me much about you! Just so you know Mr. Potter, we at the Quibbler fully support you against the Ministry and he-who-must-not-be-named."

"Um…Thanks." Harry said awkwardly.

"Come Luna. The gnomes have blessed you, so we must dance!"

The two walked out onto the dance floor, and Harry watched them, thinking how strange yet wonderful people they were.

Suddenly, the lights from the lanterns went out, plunging the whole tent into darkness. People began to scream and the music halted abruptly. Harry heard glass crashing and feet stumbling, until a large ball of light broke through the roof in the shape of a lynx.

"The ministry has fallen." It said ominously. "The minister of magic is dead. They are coming…"

Then it vanished. You could hear people breathing, then utter madness rang throughout the tent. People were disappearing left and right. Harry caught sight of Ron and they ran for each other.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked loudly. Ron shrugged in a panicked way. Harry looked around, but only caught sight of Emily, who was running towards them.

"They'll be here any moment! We have to MOVE!" She yelled. At that precise moment, black smoke broke through the ceiling. Death Eaters in thick black cloaks shot spells every which way.

"Hermione!" Ron called over the chaos. Harry took out his wand, and raised it just as one of the death eaters lunged at them. But before he could mutter a sound, Emily created a bubble-like shield around the three of them, and the death eater bounced off. He was thrown against a table, and toppled over it.

"Find her!" Emily cried, and proceeded to stun another one who was battling Mr. Weasly. Harry broke free and began to search. He soon found her, trying to edge her way through the crowds.

"Hermione, come on!" Harry exclaimed, grabbing her hand. He then yanked her through.

At that point, Harry saw Ginny and Lupin holding off a death eater together, and felt an impulse to run over to help.

"Harry come on!" Hermione yelled, and he was pulled in the other direction. The next thing he knew, the four of them linked hands, and they were spinning through a tube. Harry couldn't breathe until he had landed on a sidewalk in the middle of a bustling street.

**Het guys! Thanks so much for reading! **

**So guess what? I made a tumblr blog for my fanfiction! If you want to check it out, the information is on my profile page. If you support my OTP, you'll like it!**

**Thanks again!**


	31. Chapter 31

Before Harry could even look around to see where they had landed, he felt a hand snag his wrist and drag him forward.

"Where are we?" He heard Ron ask.

"Sharspray Avenue. I use to come to the theatre here with mum and dad!" Hermione said.

The crowds slowly thinned as they moved further and further down the road. Emily released Harry's hand as the four darted into an alleyway.

"We need to change," Emily said. Hermione nods, and opens her small beaded pouch. She then thrusts her hand inside. Harry was surprised as to how far down her arm went.

"Hermione, how-?"

"Undetectable extension charm," she replies, handing Harry a pair of blue jeans. She then hands Emily a white blouse, and Ron a red t-shirt.

They ran into a coffee shop and changed as quickly as possible.

"We need to think. We need a plan." Hermione said, sitting down in one of the chairs. Harry and Ron were about to mimic her, when Emily held up a hand.

"Not here. Not in public. Let's head to Sirius's house. Please, this is too dangerous." She asked.

"But you can't be tracked through apparition." Hermione said, confused, "and Harry doesn't have the trace anymore."

"Please, just trust me," Emily pleaded, "Sirius's home is safer."

"What if Snape comes snooping?" Ron points out.

"I'm willing to take that chance," she responds.

The three look at each other, then nod. They knew better than to question Emily's judgment.

The next moment, they were standing in front of the old Black home. Harry's stomach squirmed nervously but he ignored it. Tentatively, they opened the door.

Immediately, about a foot from where they stood, a large grey mass of smoke began to form into a clump. Confused, they all took a step towards it. Suddenly, it became Dumbledore, and his hand reached out.

"Severus Snape?" he said. Hermione squealed as the smoke Dumbledore lunged at them.

"We didn't kill you." Emily said calmly. Just before the smoke collided with them, it dissipated.

"Bloody Hell! W-what was that?" Ron stammered. He had been shielding Hermione with his arms, and was slowly uncoiling them from her torso.

"Something Mad-eye set up to scare off Snape if he stopped by. Bless him." Emily replied, and began to walk down the hall with confidence. Unsure, they all followed pursuit.

"We need to get some sleep." She said.

"We need to go back to the wedding!" Harry said immediately. Emily gave him a look that he couldn't quite decipher.

"Harry, all those Death Eaters were there for you and me! If we went back, we'd just be giving them what they want!" Emily said, "Besides, I know for a fact that they're all fine."

"How?" Ron demanded from the other end of the room. Emily froze and swallowed tenderly.

"I-uh…" she babbled. She seemed to be regretting saying anything at all. Fortunately, she was saved the trouble when a shining ball of light broke through the door, startling them all.

"Family is fine," it said, "don't reply. We are being watched."

Then, it vanished. Ron fell back onto the couch and sighed with relief. Emily smiled.

"I'll set up the sleeping bags. Hermione? If you would…"

The next few days were spent hiding in the Black Family house. They discovered R.A.B was Sirius's brother: Regulus Articurus Black. But no matter how hard they looked throughout the home, the locket was no where to be found.

"Maybe he really did destroy it!" Ron exclaimed.

"But we need to be sure!" Hermione reminded him.

It wasn't very entertaining, sitting around the house, trying to think of a plan. They tried again and again to think of possible hiding places for horcrux's, but they continued to come up with the same results. Not only that, but figures draped in black hoods were starting to gather in front of the house. Of course they could not see the house itself, nor did they have any idea how to infiltrate it without Snape's help, so they just leaned against the rail, watching the space between apartment 11 and 13.

One day, Hermione inhaled sharply. Harry and Ron came running, thinking she was being attacked, but she merely ran up to them and began to talk at a rapid pace.

"Harry. Do you remember when Ron's mother asked us to clean out the drawing room of this house two years ago?" She started. The two nodded frantically.

"Do remember when we picked out a locket from the mess?"

Harry racked his brain for any recollection of a locket, and he did faintly remember chucking one into the black trash bag they had been using.

"Oh no," Harry said, sinking into one of the armchairs, "Then it's gone. We tossed it."

"What's going on?" Emily asked coming down the stairs, a book in her hands.

"The lockets gone," Ron told her, "When we were cleaning the house two years ago, it got chucked."

Emily's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Wait… what about Kreacher?" she asked. They all looked at her.

"W-what? Kreacher?"

"Yah! Didn't he knick a bunch of stuff that Sirius wanted tossed? Why don't we ask him if he took it?"

Harry thought about it, and Emily was right. Kreacher was their last hope.

"Um… Kreacher?" He called into the house. Suddenly there was a loud crack. Kreacher the house elf stood in front of them all. His distorted, bitter face scowled up at them, most likely thinking about any other place he'd rather be.

"Master called?" he said in a slimy tone.

"Kreacher," Harry demanded, running over to the couch and grabbing the fake locket, "have you ever seen this before?"

Kreacher's sour look dropped into one of astonishment as he looked at the locket.

"It… it is master Regulus's locket." He grumbled.

"Yes, but was there ever another one?"

Kreacher began to wring his hands nervously. "Kreacher… might've seen another locket."

"Kreacher…" Harry said testily.

"Did you take a locket that looked similar to this one?" Emily asked. Kreacher looked up at her and shriveled back a bit.

"Mistress has pureblood history she does… Kreacher will answer her… Kreacher took the locket."

"Where is it now?" Ron asked excitedly.

"Kreacher doesn't know." Kreacher said. Then, he burst into tears. He blubbered and wailed. This shocked them all.

"Master regulus told Kreacher to destroy it. B-but no matter how hard Kreacher tried he… he could not do it!" He sobbed loudly.

"Kreacher," Hermione said softly, "we didn't mean to offend you-"

Kreacher glared at her through his tears. "Mudblood speaks to Kreacher…"

"Don't call her that!" Ron yelled.

"Kreacher!" Emily said, kneeling down. "What happened to the locket?"

Kreacher took a shaky breath.

"He came in the night. He took many things. Including the locket."

"Who?" Harry pressed.

"Mundungus Fletcher."

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Find him." Harry hissed. Then, there was a loud crack and Kreacher was gone.

Harry had expected Kreacher to return within the next few hours, but no such luck. Days passed, tirelessly worrying about Ron's family, and oblivious to what was happening beyond Grimmauld Place's front steps. Harry spent most of the days pacing, Emily and Hermione read, and Ron would lay on the couch, sighing loudly.

Finally, one day, when Harry was contemplating over the snitch Dumbledore had left him, a loud bang came from inside the cupboard. It sounded like a gunshot. Everyone stood. Emily withdrew her wand.

The door burst open, and out stumbled Mundungus with Kreacher clinging to his leg. And following them was…

"Dobby!" Emily cried out with delight.

"Mistress Angeline! Harry Potter!" Dobby cheered. At that moment, Mundungus fell over a stack of pots on the floor.

"Kreacher has found the thief, Mundungus Fletcher, as requested master." He sneered.

"And Dobby helped!" Dobby exclaimed.

"Great guys… thanks."

Emily nodded to Dobby, then turned her body so it faced Mundungus.

"You coward you…" She hissed. "If you hadn't disapparated…"

"I can't help it if Mad-eye fell of his broom can I?" Mundungus pleaded.

Emily couldn't seem to find a retort, so she just gritted her teeth, and glared at him with those menacing eyes.

"When you looked this place over for valuables," Harry began, "And don't deny it, you found a locket. Am I correct?"

"Maybe," Mundungus spat.

"What did you do with it?" Ron asked sternly.

"I sold it! More like bleedin' gave it away, acctually." He snarled. Emily stepped forward and pressed her wand hard against his nose.

"Tell us." She hissed. Mundungus swallowed nervously.

"S-some ministry witch comes up and asks to see me license. She would've shut me down if I hadn't given the locket to her!"

"Who was she? The witch?"

"I don't know! I-" but then he paused and looked at one of the newspapers on the table. He grabbed it with a shaking hand.

"There! On the cover!" He said, pointing. "Big bow and all!"

The four looked down at the photo, and then looked up. Ron and Hermione looked shocked. Emily looked disgusted.

It was Professor Umbridge.


	32. Chapter 32

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Ron asked Hermione.

"No," she snapped at him nervously. "Now shut it. someone's coming!"

The four became very quiet as they listened to the door down the hall open, then close. A pair of heels was walking towards them.

"STUPEFY!" Emily cried out. The woman with a tight bun and blue blazer collapsed onto the ground.

"Great," Harry said. Hermione walked over and plucked a hair of two from the woman's head and dropped it into the potion. It bubbled and steamed until it turned a light blue.

"Ok, so we've gone over the plan. The next part is up to you Hermione." Harry said. Hermione nodded, looking slightly queasy.

"Down the hatch," she said, and chugged the potion down.

Slowly, Hermione transformed into the very woman that lay unconscious at her feet. Her nose curled downwards and she grew about an inch. Though she still retained that worried expression that Hermione often wore.

"Ok," she stammered, and with shaking fingers, she grabbed the woman's purse. Hopefully, it contained everything they needed to get into the ministry.

Once Hermione had completed her transformation, the three followed her out of the home they had been hiding in. She was looking around cautiously, searching for another person from the ministry.

"Mafilda!" Someone called. Hermione whirled around. A short man waddled towards her, looking out of breath.

"Oh, hello dear!" Hermione passed off casually,clutching her purse so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "My don't you look tired. Care for a sweet?"

The man looked up at her strangely, but Hermione was already fiddling around in the bag.

"No, really i'm-"

"I insist!" Hermione pushed, handing him a toffee. The man took it moment he popped it into his mouth, he began to vomit. He doubled over, spewing stomach contents onto the streets.

"Oh dear!" Hermione said in mock concern, "you aren't well! You should return home!"

"No- I- I can't-" he began.

"Look at you! you are in no fit state to go to work!"

The man merely stood and managed a weak nod before he disapparated on the spot. Hermione examined the hairs she had pulled from the man's head while he was vomiting.

Soon, Ron and Hermione, both looking totally different, were walking side by side, Harry and Emily following under the cloak.

"The man seemed very passionate about his work," Ron said, "Hold on...I'll do it this time." He ran off into the streets. A few moments later, he was bustling towards them, his fist clenched around more hairs.

"Some tall bloke. Went home with a serious nosebleed." He told them, handing them to Harry. Harry drank the potion reluctantly, tasting the bitter sliminess as it went down. He could then feel his skin turning hot as it bubbled and changed. He felt his feet shooting out of his shoes. He then realized that he was too large for the cloak, so he quickly slipped into the street before he gave Emily away. Hermione handed him the blue robes they all had to change into.

Once his transformation was complete, he turned to an invisible Emily.

"I won't be able to change my appearance," She whispered, "The curse forbids it. I'll go with Hermione. Don't worry, i'll be fine!"

Harry didn't want to leave her, but he felt stupid to think it. She had proved time and time again that she could take care of herself. Before he knew it, Ron was dragging him along.

Once inside the ministry, Harry met up with Hermione, who was into starring at the fountain in the middle of the room. He stood beside her, feeling awkwardly tall.

"Disgusting way to get in huh?" he murmured. "Toilets? They couldn't be more sanitary?"

He heard a snort come from Hermione's right, and smiled.

"Hey," Ron said, coming up next to him. The four stood there, not sure what to do now. So Emily spoke first.

"Elevators," she said. They all nodded numbly.

Once in the elevators, before the doors could close, a hand shot out and stopped it. Harry's heart thumped, and could hear Emily gasp violently. Had they been caught already?

"CATTERMOLE!" The man shouted. He had short black hair and heavy bags under his eyes. His finely pressed suit implied that he was important. Someone off to the side called out to him.

"Morning Yaxley."

Yaxley paid them no mind. He was staring angrily at Ron. Harry noticed that Emily had stopped breathing.

"It's still raining in my office Cattermole..." Yaxley hissed. Ron gulped.

"H-have you tried an umbrella?" he stammered.

Yaxley paused.

"You do realize where i'm headed don't you Cattermole?" He sneered. Ron shook his head. "Downstairs... to interrogate your wife."

Ron gasped.

"Now. if my wife's blood status were in doubt- not that any woman i ever married would ever be mistaken for such filth- and the head of the department of magical law needed a job done, i might just do that job."

Ron nodded. Yaxley let go of the door.

"You have one hour."

And with that, the elevator shot downwards.

"Can you believe him?" Emily snapped. "Exactly the same... all of them!"

"What am i going to do?" Ron stammered, "My wife is all alone downstairs."

"Ron," Hermione snapped, "You don't have a wife."

"Oh yah..."

"_Fifth floor. Magical law." _The voice said, as the doors swished open. Harry gently pushed Ron out, and before he could utter another word, the elevator doors shut agian.  
"Harry, maybe i should go and help him," Hermione suggested. "He won't be able to-"

"No, Ron will be ok," Emily insisted, "But i do think that if we don't find Umbridge, we grab Ron, and come back another day."

Harry and Hermione both nodded eagerly. At that very moment, the elevator doors opened with another _ding!_ and there she was draped in pink, with a large bow on top of her head. She was stubby and wide, giving her a toad-like appearance.

"Mafilda!" She exclaimed, "Travis sent you did he? Lovely! We'll go right down!"

She casually stepped into the elevator, then looked at Harry.

"Albert, aren't you getting out?"  
Harry, now knowing his name was Albert, stiffly stepped out of the elevator. He felt Emily follow him. They turned back to look at Hermione, who looked utterly petrified. Harry felt guilty for leaving her with Umbridge, but what choice did he have?

"Come on! This way!" Emily said softly, tugging on Albert's jacket.

Harry followed her down the eerily quiet hall, with doors made of fine oak appearing on his left and right. Intricate chandeliers hung from the marble ceiling.

"Here!" Emily exclaimed,halting suddenly. Harry bumped into her.

"Sorry," she said. He turned and saw the name plate pasted to the door.

**Dolores Umbridge**

"You go in. I'll keep watch." Emily hissed under her breath. Harry nodded and entered her office.

It was nothing short of the one she had back at Hogwarts. There was so much pink that it hurt to look at. He remembered the lacy curtains and pillows, and the millions of cats in photographs hung on the walls.

Harry hurried to her desk and yanked open the drawers one by one. His eyes skimmed around for the locket. However, they only contained paperwork and excessive trinkets. Harry groaned in frustration. He whipped out his wand for one final try.

"Accio locket!"

But no such luck. With a sigh, he walked back to the door.

"Anything?" Emily asked. Harry shook his head.

"Come on! Let's go get Hermione!"

The two strolled back to the elevators and stepped inside. With a jerk, they took off.

Coming back to floor five, Harry caught sight of Ron. He was dripping wet as he stood next to them.

"Ron!: Emily snapped. Ron jumped about a foot in the air, and held a hand to his heart.

"Blimy! I forgot what you looked like Harry! Where's Hermione?"

"She's gone down to the courtrooms... with Umbridge!"

Then, with another clank, the elevator stopped and opened. The basement was oddly cold. Harry felt his stomach plummet as he stepped into the room.

"Bloody Hell! Cheerful down here, isn't it?" Ron complained quietly.

"Dementors," Emily sighed. And sure enough, as they approached the court room, Harry could see hundreds of Dementors floating above them. They circled around the dome ceiling. What was keeping them contained like that, Harry wondered. Then, as he brought his gaze down, he could see a cat patronus walking back and forth across Umbridge's podium. She sat there looking proud and important. Her wand was clasped firmly in her chubby hand, and she was staring down at someone in the seat below.

"Mary Elizabeth Cattermole," she snapped. As Harry got closer, he could see a shaking woman, chained in the chair, looking completely miserable. "Wife to Reginald."

"Y-yes.. i don't know where he is! He was s-suppose to meet me..."

"Save your sob story," another voice snapped. Harry turned and saw Yaxely glaring down at the woman as well. "We don't listen to filth like you."

Harry felt Emily clench up at his suddenly had an idea, and pushed Ron into the clearing. Ron looked back at him, unsure, but then continued to approach the woman in the chair.

"Thank you Albert," Umbridge said to Harry. He nodded gruffly. Harry then caught Hermione's eyes. She was mimicking something with her hands. Harry looked at her, confused.

"The locket!" Emily hissed, "Umbridge is wearing it!"

And sure enough, as Harry looked up, there was the locket; dangling from her fat neck.

"Can you get to Hermione?" he whispered to Emily.

"Yes," she replied. He felt a slight breeze indicating that she had left his side.

"Mrs. Cattermole, a wand was taken from you today," Umbridge continued, "Is this that wand?"

Umbridge held it up. Mrs. Cattermole was whimpering as she nodded.

"Can you tell us which witch or wizard you took this wand from?"

Mrs. Cattermole looked shocked. She looked to Ron, then back at umbridge.

"T-took? i n-never took anything! That wand chose me when i was eleven!"

"You're lying," Umbridge sneered.

Harry watched Hermione jump slightly. Emily must have reached her.

"No please! Reg, tell them! Tell them i'm a witch!"

Ron looked helpless, opening his mouth than closing it again. At that moment, Hermione spoke.

"That's... a pretty necklace Dolores," she said. Umbridge looked at her.

"Oh yes. A family heirloom. The "S" stands for Selwin. One of the last pureblood lines. Did you know i'm related to the Selwin's?"

Hermione shook her head. At that very moment, there was a sickening flash of red. it collided with Umbridge's chest and she passed but in her seat.

"What the-" Yaxley declared, before he too was hit by a stunning spell. Emily then proceeded to remove the cloak, looking ruthless and cold.

"Filthy Death Eater,,,Harry, a patronus if you please..." she called. Harry noticed at that moment, all the Dementors had broken free and were lunging at Mrs. Cattermole.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he cried. He watched as his stag burst forth and galloped across the room. They all scattered.

"Let's go," Emily said, "Hermione?"

"Got it!" Hermione called, yanking the necklace off Umbridge's body. They all ran for the exit as fast as possible, stumbling into the elevators.

"We need to move fast. They'll know intruders are here, and be on us in minutes!" Emily said harshly.

"What about..." Ron asked, indicating to Mrs. Cattermole.

"Send her home. She'll be fine."

Once the doors opened, they sprinted through the massive ministry crowds, to the flu networks across the room. Harry could hears calls behind him.

"It's Harry Potter!"

"Harry Potter!"

"Ms. Angeline!"  
"Harry Potter and Ms. Angeline in the ministry!"

The polyjuice potion must have worn off. Then, there was another voice.

"STOP THEM AT ALL COSTS!"

It was Yaxley. He had recovered from the stunning spell, and was running towards them. Harry flicked his wand, and a stack of daily prophets went flying around the room. He didn't dare look behind him to see if the diversion had worked.

"Ron! Help Mrs. Cattermole!" Emily yelled. Ministry guards were shooting rapid fire spells in their direction. It was all Emily could do to deflect them.

"Reg! Reg wha-"

"I'm not your husband!" Ron said to her, "It's a long story." With that, he shoved her into the fire, and she vanished.

"Go. GO! I'll hold them off-"

"No way!" Harry said immediately.

"Harry," Emily began in a frustrated tone. At that moment, Yaxley broke through the crowds, flicking papers out of his face. His eyes immediately widened as they landed on , however, gave him the fiercest looking sneer she could manage.

"Would you just GO!" She yelled, shoving Hermione into the fire, first. She was followed by Ron. Yaxley began stalking towards them.

"You're not getting away from me," He snarled angrily, and he began throwing shots at them. One of them collided with the brick fireplace right above Harry's head.

"NOW!" Emily yelled. She grabbed Harry's upper arm and they flung themselves into the green flames.

Only, something wasn't right. Harry felt someone dragging him down. Like something was attached to him. He couldn't breathe. Grimmauld Place was an arms length away, and Harry felt himself reach for it, longing to land.

Then, his weight shifted, and Grimmauld became smaller and smaller. Then, there was a loud bang, and his eyes flickered open. He was lying on a pile of dead leaves, staring up at a canopy of interlinked trees.


	33. Chapter 33

**EMILY ANGELINE**

Emily knew Yaxley had hold of Harry, and for the first time, she didn't know what to do. She followed Hermione's lead as they came closer and closer to Grimmauld place. Then, the course of destination changed and everything went black.

Emily dreamt of Hogwarts: of her three friends, of the times when there were no dark wizards to be afraid of. When she first stepped though the doors of Hogwarts, and when she discovered magic was real.

Then, the dream took a dark and unexpected turn, as all of her dreams did. Laughter and bright color's, were replaced with darkness. She was standing in the middle of no where. It was all simply… black. Then, that familiar chuckle that gave her goose bumps rang out. It pierced her ears like the sharp cry of a bird, drilling into her brain. She clutched her ears, doubled over, and curled up pathetically, praying for it to stop.

But it didn't. It only became louder. She looked up from her fetal position for a moment, and the white glint of a snake-like face was just visible. She whimpered and shrunk back down, pressing her hands harder against her head.

"You act so brave," the voice hissed. Emily willed herself to become smaller. "But in dreams, you fear me."

Her breathing was ragged and her cries became softer.

"Because in dreams, there is nothing you can do. You are helpless. You are weak."

"No… Please!" Emily begged. She couldn't stop them. They hurt her head too much.

"That's right. I made you like this. I did this to you. I created these dreams to keep you weak. They feast on your fears."

"PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!" she sobbed.

Then, she felt a pair of lips against the very ear she was pressing against. It said something that stood out against the antagonizing cries that penetrated her skull.

"So I am your worst nightmare."

Emily awoke to three faces staring above her. They all jumped back immediately; because she let out the most horrific blood curdling scream. She sat up, clutching her throat, trying to choke herself. She wanted to die… she wanted to die so badly…

"Stop her!" Harry cried out. He and Ron lunged at Emily, trying to pry her fingers away from her own windpipe.

"NO! LET ME DIE! I WANT TO KILL MYSELF!"

After fifteen minutes of struggle, Emily removed her hands from her throat. She was still breathing hard, and her head still hurt very badly.

"What… is wrong… with you?" Ron asked between pants. Emily ignored him. Instead, she stood and grabbed her wand. She didn't even realize she was in a tent until she had walked through the flap in the front.

"Emily, wait! Where are you-?"

Emily kept walking, and once she was far enough away from the tent, she hurled a spell as hard as she could at a nearby tree. It burst into magical flames.

"EMILY STOP!"

She turned and chucked another spell at another tree. And another, and another… They all burned before her eyes, blurred by her tears. She could see smudges of orange and yellow. She could feel the skin on her face burning. She was too close to the flames… it would be dangerous for Harry and Ron to come any closer…

"Stay!" she ordered them. They had started to run towards her, but at her word, they halted. Emily knew the skin on her face would grow back. But she wished it wouldn't.

She touched the side of her face gingerly, relishing in the pain it brought.

Then, she burst into tears, as the flames flickered around her person. Soon, Ron and Harry were extinguishing the fire. Harry lifted Emily up and carried her back to the tent.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"Its fine… it's okay… we're all okay."

Once back in the tent, Emily lied down on the bed.

"You need rest…" Harry began.

"NO! Don't make me go back to sleep." She snapped. Harry stopped pressing.

"Here," Hermione said, handing her a glass of water. Her hands were shaking nervously, as if Emily would explode at any moment.

"Thanks," Emily said softly, with an apologetic smile.

"What… happened?" Ron asked. Emily swallowed.

"I'm … s-so sorry you had to see that. The last time that happened… Dumbledore… he was still alive." Emily told them. The three became quiet at the mention of Dumbledore. Emily felt a lump swell in her throat.

"I lost control." She managed.

The three stayed there in silence a few minutes more. Then, Harry stood.

"Come on. Let's try destroying this Horcrux." He said, holding the locket up to the light.


	34. Chapter 34

They could not destroy it. It was impossible. They had tried everything, but the locket remained as whole and unscathed as ever. Harry felt his patience teetering on the edges of frustration. Dumbledore had given him a job to do, but he had not given him the tools to do it with.

The three agreed to wear the locket, to ensure that they would not lose it. Though, after Emily's little mishap, they thought it best that she not take part in wearing it. However, Emily was acting like nothing had happened. She was back to normal the next morning, pretending like she couldn't remember a thing. She was just as strong, in control, and intimidating as ever.

Harry wondered what had pushed her over the edge.

They moved everyday, never staying in one place for too long. Food was constantly scarce, and tempers ran high when there was nothing to eat. Especially Ron's. And when it became his turn to wear the locket, well, he became downright unpleasant.

One night, Hermione was reading as usual, and suddenly jumped out of her seat.

"Oh my god!" She yelled. Harry, startled, fell out of bed. Emily wore a broad grin on her face.

"What? What?" She kept asking.

"The sword! The sword… that's it!"

Hermione sprinted over to her bag and yanked out one of the books. She began flipping rapidly through the pages.

"What about the sword?" Harry asked.

"It's blade! It only takes in that which makes it stronger!" Hermione declared. She looked up, expecting that to make sense.

"What-"

"Oh don't you see?" She cried, "In our second year, Harry stabbed the basilisk with the sword. Its blade is impregnated with basilisk venom!"

"Which means that it can… destroy Horcruxes!" Harry finally declared.

"Yes!"

"Hermione you're brilliant!"

Suddenly, the lights went out. They all became silent. Then Ron stepped into view.

"Yah, I'm still here." He snapped. Harry could hear Emily grind her teeth together. She had been less tolerant of Ron than the rest of them.

"I'm going to… step out." She said quietly, and stalked out of the tent.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked Ron. "Spit it out."

"Fine, I'll spit it out. But don't expect me to be grateful just because there's another damn thing we've got to find." Ron spat.

"Ron!" Hermione scolded.

"I'm sorry," Harry retorted, "Did you think we'd be staying in a five star hotel, finding a Horcrux every other day? Did you think you'd be back with mum by Christmas?"

"I just thought you knew what you were doing!" Ron shouted.

"I told you everything Dumbledore told me! I thought you knew what you signed up for!"

"Yah…" Ron snapped. "I thought I did too."

He stepped forward.

"Do you know why I listen to that radio every night? So I don't hear the names of anyone we know."

"You don't think I'm listening to? You don't think I don't know how this feels?" Harry bellowed.

"No you don't! Your parents are dead!"

Right before Harry could lunge at Ron, there was a loud bang, and a wall appeared between them both. Emily had returned to the tent, he face twisted with fury. She turned to Ron.

"Stop this Ron you're being ridiculous!"

"Oh am I?" Ron shot back, not looking the least bit daunted. "Well at least I'm not crazy, asking my friends to kill me, and shouting in my sleep!"

"GET OUT!" Emily shouted back. Her yell was booming and made Harry's inside squirm nervously. She hardly ever yelled at anyone like that… the only time he had ever seen her _this_ angry was when…

She spoke to Voldemort.

"Fine." Ron said, backing down. He threw the Horcrux he was wearing onto the bed, grabbed his sack and started towards the entrance of the tent.

"Ron no!" Hermione cried and started after him. "No please… RON!"

But Ron was already gone. Hermione stood where Ron had vanished, stunned. Emily took down the shield and clambered into her own bed, emotionless.

"He's… gone." Hermione whispered.

The next few weeks were miserable ones. With Ron gone, Harry felt like a part of himself had left with him. Hermione hardly left her bed most days. Emily did double shift, which she didn't mind. She hated the idea of going to sleep.

The days that Ron wasn't with them were spent quieter. Though Harry did try to move on, and continue thinking of possible Horcrux hiding places. He also had to consider where the Sword of Gryffindor might be.

Eventually Harry suggested Godic's hollow. He had wanted to go there for ages now, because it's where he was born.

"But that's while he'll want you to go there Harry! Because it means something to you!" Hermione protested.

"But it means something to him too Hermione! You-know who almost died there! Isn't that the kind of place he'd be likely to hide a Horcrux?"

They ended up going Christmas Eve. Only it turned out to be a huge mistake. Voldemort's snake, Nagini, was there waiting for them. They just barely escaped with their lives. Though, seeing her old snake caused Emily to lose control again. Harry was more prepared this time, but it was still a disturbing sight none the less. She continuously begged him to kill her. To end her life. It was moments like that that Harry realized: She was a lot weaker than she seemed.

Since Godric's Hollow was a failure, the three were right back to where they started.

Until one night, when Harry was keeping watch, he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. It looked like a patronus.

A doe patronus.

Harry stood suddenly. The doe slowly started to walk back into the forest.

"Wait," Harry murmured. He didn't want it to go. It turned around and looked at him, as if it wanted him to… follow it.

Harry grabbed his wand and took off after the doe. It walked further and further into the woods until finally it stopped over a frozen lake. With one last backwards glance, it disappeared. Harry ran to the place that it had been standing and brushed some of the ice away.

And beneath the surface, Harry could just make out the glinting hilt of a sword.

Excitement coursed through his chilled veins. He looked around wildly to see who had put it there. But the forest was still and practically lifeless. He turned his eyes back to the waters. He realized he was going to have to jump in, if he wanted to retrieve it.

"Diffindo," He said, and the ice cracked. He began to undress. The more layers he removed the more cold he became. Eventually, his skin was screaming in protest against the frigid night air. He shivered violently as he stepped onto the ice, preparing himself for what he knew would be a painful dive.

Before he could think, or even change his mind, he jumped.

He couldn't move the water was so cold. His muscles froze and cramped. But he forced himself to reach out his hand. It brushed the blade, just as he felt the Horcrux around his neck convulse. It jerked upwards, cutting into Harry's skin. Harry tried to cry out in pain, but he merely inhaled a lungful of freezing water. He began to swarm towards the surface, but the locket was choking him.

He saw the edges of his vision go black, and his mind felt fuzzy… He couldn't breathe…

Then, he felt himself being dragged across the snowy ground. He gasped for breath and sputtered out water. He stumbled around for his glasses with a shaking hand.

"Are you mad?" said a familiar voice. Harry placed his glasses on the tip of his freezing nose, and saw that familiar head of flaming red hair. Ron was dripping wet, and he was holding the sword.

"What… how did you… why are you…" Harry tried to say but his teeth were chattering so hard he couldn't make out a word.

"I… I came back." Ron said, starring at his feet.

Harry stared at Ron as he struggled to put on the rest of his clothes, but once he did, he was considerably warmer.

"Come here." He said to Ron, before he could think twice. He grasped the locket from around his neck and placed it on a rock in front of him.

"You do it." Harry told him, "You destroy it.

Ron's eyes widened in alarm.

"I can't. That thing affects me more than it affects you and Hermione." Ron replied, holding up both his hands defensively. "I mean, even Emily acted like I… like I was…"

"Then why are you here?" Harry demanded, "Why did you come back?"

Ron didn't answer.

"I'm going to open it using Parsletongue." Harry said, "When I do, don't hesitate to stab it."

Ron nodded. Harry hissed, then snarled.

The locket opened, and inside was an eye. It was as dark and handsome as Tom Riddle's eye had been before it became scarlet and slit-pupiled.

"Stab," Harry said to Ron. Then, a voice hissed from inside.

"_I have seen your heart, and it is mine." _

"Don't listen Ron, stab it!" Harry said harshly.

"_I have seen your dreams Ronald Weasly, and your fears."_

"Stab!" Harry yelled.

"_Least loved by a mother who craved a daughter… Least loved by the girl who prefers your friend…"_

"RON STAB IT NOW!" Harry bellowed. Ron was shaking as he watched the figures of Harry and Hermione bubble out from inside the locket.

"_We were better without you,"_ the Harry said, _"happier without you. We laughed at your stupidity and cowardice…"_

"_What woman would take you over Harry potter?" _the Hermione sneered. _"You, over the chosen one?"_

"RON STAB IT!" Harry yelled, but Ron was not paying attention anymore. His face was twisted with fury. He picked up the sword and screamed as he ran towards the Horcrux. The blade collided with the glass, and the monstrous versions of Harry and Hermione vanished. The lockets windows had been shattered.

Slowly, Harry walked back up to him, unsure of what to say or do. He picked up the Horcrux and pocketed the crushed remains. The sword clanged as Ron dropped it. He had sunk to his knees with his head in his arms.

"After you left," Harry said, "She cried for a week. Probably longer. With you gone, nothing seemed… right…"

Ron took a shaking breath.

"I love Hermione like a sister. I thought you knew that…"

Ron didn't respond. He turned away and wiped his nose noisily on his sleeve.

"Come on." Harry stood, and shook Ron's shoulder, "We have to find the tent again."


	35. Chapter 35

"Hermione! Emily! Guess who's here?" Harry called out. He and Ron walked into the clearing as the two girls rustled out of the tent. When their eyes landed on Ron, there were mixed emotions. Emily ran up and hugged Ron tightly around the neck.

"I'm so sorry Ron!" She said, "I didn't mean to yell at you! Really!"

Ron smiled widely and hugged Emily back, but his eyes never left Hermione's face, which was looking particularly conflicted.

When they parted, the three of them all waited for Hermione to say something. She slowly approached Ron, taking small steps. He smiled apologetically.

"You…" She said. Then she punched him.

"Ow!" Ron cried.

"Complete-ass- Ronald- Weasly!" She began to yell in between hits.

"OW! HERMIONE, WHA-"

"YOU SHOW UP AFTER- WEEKS! AND WEEKS! AND I BEGGED YOU TO STAY! AND YOU-"

She whirled around, her eyes landing on Harry.

"Give me my wand Harry." She snapped. Harry hid her wand behind his back.

"I don't have it." He lied.

"Harry Potter YOU GIVE ME MY WAND!"

"Why has he got your wand?" Ron questioned. Emily was quick to answer.

"His snapped on a little adventure we had to Godric's Hollow."

Hermione turned and glared at Ron lividly.

"Don't think this change's anything." She hissed.

"Oh course not," Ron said, holding up the sword, "me and Harry just destroyed a bloody Horcrux! Why would that change anything?"

"You did?" Emily broke in, "You got rid of it?"

Harry pulled out the destroyed locket from his pocket, letting the cracked windows catch the light of the dawn.

"You… you did." Hermione said, perplexed. Ron launched into a whole story, where he had wanted to come back the moment he left. He had been keeping away from some snatchers in a pub off the side of the road, when one night, he heard Hermione's voice coming out of the gift Dumbledore had left for him.

"The diluminator?" Harry asked.

"Yah. It doesn't just turn off lights. I'm not sure how it works…" Ron replied. "But I clicked it and this sort of light… flew into me. I knew then where I would find you. I disapparated, and came here. I hoped one of you would show yourself because I had no idea where I was. Then… you did."

He pointed at Harry. Harry finished off the story by telling them how they had gotten rid of the Horcrux together.

"We're glad you're back, Ron." Emily said. "Now, would you like to hear our story?"

Hermione looked like she wanted to throw something, so instead of listening; she stormed back into the tent.

"Don't worry," Harry said, nudging Ron. "She'll come around."

Emily began a very detailed version of their eventful trip to Godric's Hollow. Ron seemed baffled.

"His snake?" Ron gasped. "Was in Bathilda's body?"

"Yah. And you-know-who almost got us too. A second more and we would have all been dead!" Emily finished.

Ron sighed. "Sorry to hear about your wand mate. But hey! I grabbed one off of a snatcher while I was away!"

He rustled around in his sack, and then handed a long black wand to Harry.

"Nothing special, but better than nothing right?"

Harry nodded as he fiddled around with the new wand, missing his old one very badly.

"And how did you guys find out about the taboo?" Ron continued.

"What?" Harry asked, looking up.

"You stopped saying you-know-who's name."

"Oh yah, bad habit, I guess." Harry shrugged, "But I've got no problem saying Vol-"

"NO!" Emily and Ron yelled out at the same time.

"-demort. What?" Harry stepped back, startled.

"The name is tabooed Harry!" Ron cried. Emily was already running into the tent.

"HERMIONE! WE HAVE TO GO NOW!" She bellowed.

"What? What's going on?" Hermione shrieked back.

"Harry!" Emily yelled.

Harry turned around in a panicked fashion, and felt a sharp pain collide with his head. He flew backwards and crashed onto the ground. Disoriented, he tried to sit up. Then, he heard a voice.

"Oi! Put your hands up!" They cried. Harry looked around wildly, but just then, he felt someone snatch the glasses off his face. Everything went blurry.

"Keep calm." Emily hissed in his ear before he could feel her being forced off of him.

"LET HIM GO!" He heard Hermione scream.

"DON'T TOUCH HER!" Ron yelled back.

"HANDS OFF MORON!" Harry heard Emily say. There was a series of bangs and flashes of light before he heard a low grunt.

"Pipe down pretty!" Another voice said. "There's more where that came from if you don't behave."

"Oh you'll have to do worse than that!" Emily chuckled. More bangs, and grunts.

"Feisty are we? Show her what we do to those who struggle." The voice demanded. Another grunt, and then an ear-splitting scream of pain.

"EMILY! EMILY!" Harry shouted, trying to get up and walk blindly towards her. This was before he felt a pair of hands slam him to the ground.

"What did you call her?" They asked. Harry felt his nose being shoved into the dirt.

"Her name," Harry spat back.

"Oh? And what's yours ugly?"

"Dudley…" he said, which was the first name that came to mind.

"And your first?"

"I… Vernon. Vernon Dudley."

"Check the list!" The person yelled loudly.

Harry could feel his face swelling around his eyelids and mouth. He could just barely make out Emily's aura of beauty through his squinted eyes. Clearly she had hit him with some kind of jinx that messed up his features. He could see that she was doing all she could to hide her face. The hoodie she was wearing was pulled up and yanked tight to stuff away her hair, and her entire face was looking at the ground.

"What's your name, deary?" One of the snatchers hissed close to her ear. Emily jerked her head away.

"Lavender Brown. Pureblood." She snapped. "Now get your slimy hands off me."

"Relax Princess. You don't want another dose of pain do you?"

Harry could just barely hear Emily suppress a snake-like hiss. None of the others heard.

"Greyback! There ain't no Vernon Dudley on 'ere." Another Snatcher called. So Greyback was the leader here. This didn't comfort Harry at all. He knew Greyback was a very feared and well-known werewolf.

"Really? Why don't you want us to know who you are Vernon?"

"It's lying. I told you who I am!" Harry grunted. He could hear a pair of large feet stalking towards him.

"Hmm… what's that under your hair Vernon?" Greyback said softly.

"Don't touch it!" Harry snapped, recoiling. Greyback didn't listen. He swiped the hair away to reveal a stretched out lighting bolt scar across his forehead.

He heard several murmurs.

"Is that…"

"Did we catch…?"

"No…"

He felt others crowd around him, staring at his scar.

"It is… Which can only mean…?"

They all turned to stare at Emily, who Harry could see was twisting around violently in her captors grasp.

"Who are you really, my dear?" Greyback snapped. He violently whipped back Emily's hoodie, revealing her shimmering caramel hair, and jerked her face upwards. The gasps were louder this time. Some stood frozen… completely in awe by her beauty.

"Change of plans," Greyback ordered, his voice wavering slightly, "we're not taking this lot to the ministry."


	36. Chapter 36

Harry could feel his scar throbbing as the snatchers yanked him and his friends up to the gates of Malfoy manor. Harry noticed that some of them were a bit scared of Emily, even though she was the most handicapped of them all. They had the nerve to chain her from hand to foot in heavy looking shackles. She continuously tried to step on their feet whenever possible, though.

They reached the gates just as a loud, booming voice echoed over the grounds.

"State your purpose." It said.

"WE'VE GOT HARRY POTTER AND EMILY ANGELINE!" Greyback announced. Immediately, the gate doors swung open.

"Come on," Greyback snapped to all of them. They hauled the lot into the yard and up to the front door. Narcissa Malfoy was already there to greet them.

"What is this?" She snapped.

"We've caught Potter and Angeline." Greyback said once more.

Narcissa gave Harry a once over and scowled, as if not convinced.

"We know he's a bit odd-looking ma'am, but it's him, really! See the scar?" Another snatcher pleaded, pushing back Harry's hairline to reveal the stretched out lightening bolt.

"Hmm… yes, that could be the scar…"

"And the girl!" Greyback growled. Emily was shoved forward so harshly that she almost fell over. Harry could see that she refused to look Narcissa in the face, but it was no use trying to hide. Her beauty was stood out like a white dove in a sea of black crows.

"Come in." Narcissa hissed. They all stumbled into the manor, one by one. Narcissa directed them into a sitting room with a high ceiling and roaring fire. Harry felt a harsh hand force him to his knees. He had no idea how he was going to get out of this one.

"The dark lord is out. There is no telling when he'll be back."

"Narcissa? What is this?" Lucius Malfoy said, coming up from behind his wife.

"They claim that they have Potter and the girl." She replied. Lucius's eyes lit up.

"Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's call him!" he said.

"Call who, Lucius?" called another voice from down the hall that made Harry convulse with rage. Bellatrix Lestrange came into view, her wild hair and sunken cheeks looking all too familiar.

"The Dark Lord, Bella. Greyback claims that he has caught Potter and Angeline." Narcissa explained.

"Well by all means!" Bellatrix cried out even more enthusiastically than Lucius, preparing to pull back her sleeve.

"No! Shouldn't we be sure it's them first?"

There was a pause.

"Very well. Fetch Draco. He will know." Bellatrix said.

Narcissa ran off into the house and returned shortly with Draco Malfoy, who looked more stingy and pale than ever.

"Draco! We have a job for you!" Bellatrix said sweetly. "We need you to tell us if these two, are truly Potter and Angeline."

She pointed in Harry and Emily's direction. Draco locked eyes with him.

"Come on sweetie! Don't be shy! Have a closer look!"

Bellatrix lead him over until he was kneeling right in front of them both. Emily's head was still downturned.

"Well? Is it really them?"

"I…" Draco began, "I can't be sure… what's wrong with his face?"

"Yes what is wrong with his face?" Bellatrix asked to the group of snatchers.

"He was like this when we found him ma'am. Reckon it was something he picked up in the forest."

Bellatrix turned back to them. "Looks more like a stinging jinx to me…" She got up and walked over to Hermione. "Was it you dear?"

"NO!" Emily suddenly cried, "It was me."

Bellatrix turned back to Emily as if she were seeing her for the first time.

"Really?" She said, "Now why would you do that?"

"It was… an accident. I was aiming for Greyback,"Harry heard Greyback chuckle at this, as if it were absurd that anyone could hit him

"Give me her wand." Bellatrix declared. She snatched Emily's wand from their hands and examined it.

"Hmmm…This does fit the description of Angeline's wand. But this…" she grabbed Harry's new wand, "Does not look like Potter's."

"Does it matter?" Lucius declared, "We have one of them, if not both! Let's call him!"

But at that moment, Bellatrix's eyes landed on the sword grasped in the Snatcher's hand.

"STOP!" She gasped. "W-where did you get that?"

"The red head was holding it when we found 'em miss. Finders keepers!"

At that moment, there was a bang and a flash of red light: Harry knew the snatcher had been stunned. There was a roar of anger from his fellows.

"What do you think you're playing at woman?"

"STUPEFY!" She yelled, "STUPEFY!"

They were no match for her, even though she was outnumbered. She was a witch of prodigious skill and no conscience. Harry wondered if in fact she might've almost been as skilled as Emily. Though, Emily was not nearly as heartless.

Soon, all the snatchers were sprawled against the floor, unconscious. Greyback was on his knees.

"Bellatrix, what are you-" Narcissa began.

"Be quiet Cissy! We have a very serious problem." Bellatrix snapped. "This sword is supposed to be in my vault at Gringotts… If the dark lord comes now…"

She paused to think.

"Put the prisoners in the cellar." She snapped to Greyback. He stood and grabbed them all by their shirts. Emily was still heavily chained, but she attempted to bite Greyback's hand as it touched her.

"Wait… all except… the mudblood."

"NO!" Ron lashed out, "NO! TAKE ME INSTEAD!"

But Greyback was already dragging the three down the stairs and through a dark passageway.

"HERMIONE! HERMIONE!" Ron continued to yell as he shoved them all into a room and protruded a protective spell over the door.

Then, there was a sharp, piercing scream.

"HERMIONE!" Ron yelled helplessly.

"Ron! Stop yelling!" Harry said, "We need a plan."

"Ron?" said a voice, "Harry? Is that you?"

A shadow in the corner of the room moved towards them, slowly.

"LUNA?" They both cried out.

"I knew it was you! Oh, I didn't want you to get caught."

"Luna, what are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"They didn't like what father had been writing in the Quibbler," She sighed, "So they took me. But I'm quite all right, really. Mr. Ollivander and Griphook the goblin are here too!"

"Mr. Ollivander? Griphook?"

"Yes. But They're very weak."

Harry looked around wildly, his mind reeling for ideas of escape.

"HOW DID YOU GET INTO MY VAULT AT GRINGOTTS?" Bellatrix cried from above. This was followed by another scream of pain.

"HERMIONE!" Ron continued to bellow. He was now trying to dissaparate without a wand.

"It's no use Ron, the place is enchanted!" Emily told him, gripping Ron firmly by the shoulders to stop him from spinning. Harry could hear Hermione's shrieks echoing off the walls upstairs. In utter desperation, Harry untied the pouch around his neck that Hagrid gave him for Christmas, and dumped its contents onto the floor. He found the glass shard from the mirror that Sirius had given to him, and looked into it. He saw the gleam of a bright blue eye…

"Help us, please! We're in the cellar at Malfoy manor! Help us!"

Then, the eye was gone, and Harry wasn't sure if he had imagined it or not.

"How did you this sword?" Bellatrix screeched.

"It's not t-the real one… a copy!" Hermione sobbed.

"A copy? Oh likely story."

"There is an easy way to check," They heard Lucius say. "Draco, fetch the Goblin!"

There was a series of footsteps and then a voice on the stairs.

"Don't try anything! Or I'll kill you!" Draco shouted, opening the cellar door. His wand hand was shaking aggressively as he pointed it at them. "Goblin! Come with me!"

Griphook the goblin stumbled out from a corner of the cellar.

"Griphook! You have to tell them it's a copy! Please!" Harry begged. The goblin simply looked at him and slowly followed Draco out.

At that moment, there was a loud _crack_ that echoed inside the cellar. Ron clicked the diluminator in his pocket, and light filled the room to reveal Dobby the house-elf, who had just apperated into their midst.

"Dobby!" Emily cried out in joy.

"Harry Potter, Milady Angeline! Dobby has come to rescue you!" Dobby declared.

"But how-" Harry began, but Emily interrupted him.

"Dobby, could you do me a huge favor and get these chains off me?" She asked. Dobby nodded and quickly snapped his fingers. The chains fell into a heap at her feet.

"Ah, that's much better. Now Dobby, I need you to take Mr. Ollivander and Luna to Shell Cottage on the outskirts on Tinworths!" She instructed, taking charge. "They'll be safe there. Right Ron?"

Ron stood looking baffled, as if he hadn't expected Emily to know about the cottage.

"Then come back," Emily finished quickly, "Can you do that Dobby?"

"Of course Ms. Angeline, ma'am!" Dobby nodded. He grabbed Luna's hand and Luna dragged him over to Mr. Ollivander. Then, with another loud _crack_, they were gone.

The three heard another pair off feet descending the cellar stairs, so they parted off and stood with their backs against the wall. When the door opened, they saw it was Wormtail. His wand was raised when suddenly there was a loud bang, and he fell to the floor, unconscious. Harry, Ron, and Emily looked up into the stairway, where the spell had been shot from, and saw Dobby holding another wand.

"Thanks Dobby! Come on!" Emily said, taking Wormtail's wand, and barreled up the stairs at top speed. Harry and Ron followed,

"Can we be sure it's a copy?" Bellatrix asked Griphook bitterly.

"Yes." Griphook said plainly.

"Good. Bellatrix sighed, "And now, we call the Dark Lord."

She pushed back her sleeve and touched her forefinger to the Dark Mark branded on her arm. Immediately, Harry felt his scar split open with the pain.

"You may have the mudblood, Greyback. We have no more use for her."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ron cried out, bursting into the room. Bellatrix whirled around, shocked.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Emily yelled. The spell cascaded across the room, causing every person to fly backwards. Bellatrix's wand flew into the air and Harry caught it immediately.

Lucius ran towards them, shooting spells rapidly in their direction, but Emily shoved Harry and Ron out of the way. She then flicked the wand she had in a casual manner and Lucius flew backwards into the burning hearth, putting out the fire. Harry shot a spell at Draco, and it missed him by inches.

"STOP," Bellatrix cried, now holding a knife to Hermione's throat, "OR SHE DIES!"

The fighting ceased. They all dropped the wands they were holding. Emily was looking at Bellatrix with a deep loathing in her eyes. Harry knew the feeling.

"Draco, pick them up!" She demanded. Draco hurried forward and collected the wands. "The Dark Lord will be here soon, you two! You deaths approach."

"I don't think so Bella," Emily seethed. At that moment, there was a faint squeak from above.

"Dobby has come to recuse Harry Potter and Milday Angeline!" Dobby cried.

Bellatrix looked up and the chandelier above their heads came crashing down.

"AHHHHHH!" Bellatrix screamed, releasing Hermione just as the chandelier touched down.

"HERMIONE!" Ron yelled. In the heat of the moment, Harry ran over to Draco and yanked the wands from his hands. He tossed one to Emily, who immediately stunned Narcissa Malfoy with skilled precision. Ron dragged Hermione out from under the wreckage and pulled her over to where Dobby stood.

"YOU STUPID ELF!" Bellatrix screamed in fury, "How dare you defy your masters!"

Dobby stood up, "Dobby has no master. Dobby is a free elf! And Dobby has come to save Harry Potter and his friends."

Harry turned and grabbed Dobby's hand. He then reached out for Emily's as he spun on the spot to dissaparate, but he could feel her delicate skin slip through his own, and then they were pulled apart by suffocating force.

They had left her behind.


	37. Chapter 37

Emily's hand was stretched out in midair, pointed right at the spot where, a moment ago, all of her friends had been standing. She felt Harry's hand slip through her own. Then, she blinked, and they were gone. The dust swirled around the spot where they had been all standing. The room had gone dead quiet.

Her first thoughts were, _well… shit._

Then, her head spun with complicated thoughts and scenarios with which she could use to escape this situation. She estimated that she had about thirty seconds before all hell broke loose, and Voldemort returned to the manor. Her first idea was to make it out of the house and back to the gate before Voldemort even saw her. She could break the magical enchantment and apperate beyond the bonds of the house.

Unfortunately, though her brilliant mind had been trained to think fast at times like this, it was not fast enough. The first plan was as far as she got, before she gave the wandless death eaters a pitiful glance and darted down the stairs at top speed.

"STOP HER! WE NEED HER!" Bellatrix cried out. Emily shot spells behind her as she ran, and dodged Bellatrix's knife which just barely grazed her arm. It healed instantaneously. Emily's breathing was fast and loud, as her eyes sought out a door to the outside. She sprinted down each twist and turn, not daring to waste time to look behind her. In seconds, she had located one of the doors and yanked it open. Once it shut she magically locked it, and then ran as fast as her legs could go to the front gates. She could already feel the enchantment that was keeping the house protected. It was strong. She would need time to figure it out, and time was the one thing she did not have. She desperately flung spell after spell in its direction, hoping to get lucky, and have one of them break through, but each one bounced off harmlessly. Once she finally reached the foot of the gate, she grabbed one of the bars and shut her eyes in concentration. The magic coursed in rhythm with her pulse. This was no simple protective spell. This was a curse that kept unwanted things out, and wanted things in, no matter what. No doubt Voldemort's own handiwork. Emily swore loudly, and began violently yanking at the metal. Her resistance to it scalded the flesh on her hands, but Emily couldn't care less. When she finally stopped, she stood there panting, and listened. The yard was quiet.

_Think Emily_, she told herself_, use your head._

At that moment, her head practically split in two. She doubled over from the pain and groaned. No, she thought desperately, she could not loose control now. Not at such a crucial moment. She had to stay calm. She focused breathing through her stomach, and exhaling out her mouth.

Could she climb the walls? No, there was no footing.

She had a wand; she could blow a hole in the brick, or make her own footing.

She tried this, but it did not work. Her efforts were met with an explosion from the protective enchantment, causing her to fly back and hit the ground. In moments, she was on her feet again, her mind struggling to think of something else. She was well past her time limit of thirty seconds…

"Trying to escape? You're just wasting your time."

At the sound of his voice, Emily's entire body went ridged with fear. She could not feel her wand in her hand. She did feel, however, a generous amount of sweat gathering on her forehead. Her heart was going to collapse into her ribcage, she was sure of it.

"It's pointless," Voldemort hissed, "I made the spell myself, specifically for this occasion."

Emily turned her head to the side slightly, curiously. "You knew I would come, and then try to escape?"

Voldemort ignored her. She could hear his robes slithering across the grass towards her.

"Your friends… escaped." He said softly, toying with her. "But… left you behind?"

It was Emily's turn to not respond. She thought about running for it, but where would she go?

No where. There was no where left to go. She had come to her final option of desperation. Fight him.

"I have been waiting for this a long time, Ms. Angeline. You are finally trapped, and moments away from being in my grasp. Are you just going to stand there and let me?"

Emily let a smile tug on the corners of her mouth. She felt something inside her leap at the thought of fighting… the feeling was not human.

"I guess you're right. I should make it harder for you." Her fingers curled possessively over the wand in her hand.

"I deserve as much," Voldemort said. The slithering of his cloak on the grass had stopped. He was waiting. He wanted her to fight… but why?

Her gut squirmed in protest at the thought, as if to say_, don't question it! Just fight!_

She slowly did a roundabout, and came face to face with Voldemort's wand. Instinctively, she raised her own.

"I guess it would be impolite to keep you waiting." She continued. So she shot the first spell.

He was quick to deflect.

So she sent another, and another… soon, she was sending spells every hundredth of a second, spinning and twirling, leaping and dodging. Voldemort was emitting shield spells just as frequently. Emily realized that he wasn't actually fighting her. This made her even angrier. She sensed that same familiar urge to hurt him. To make him suffer for what he did to her. Her rage was unleashed through each curse, but it had no effect on him. So she reluctantly stopped.

Voldemort made no move to attack, once she had ceased her efforts. In fact, he stood there, watching her with an evil smirk on his face.

"You're beautiful when you're angry." He hissed seductively. Emily's voice caught in her throat and it stuck there like a lump of thick paste.

"You… you're not going to fight me…?" She stammered between heavy breaths. He just stared at her.

"You… You're waiting, aren't you? For me to tire myself out… For me to weaken _myself_…" She said suddenly. Voldemort smiled, like he was proud of her for figuring it out on her own.

"You do love to exert yourself when you have something to prove," he admitted. Emily felt tears trickle in the corners of her eyes, but forced them back. Never, would she EVER, cry in front of him. So she gave him a terrible scowl instead.

And then, she did something that surprised herself. She leaned down and sat crisscross on the grass. Voldemort's eyes widened in shock, but the bottom half of his face was smiling that horrible smile.

She couldn't escape now, it was pointless to try. And she would not waste her energy on it. She would spend every day fighting him… Every second she was here, she would fight him. And she needed to save her energy for that, because the battle would be long.

Voldemort slowly moved towards her. Emily didn't look him in the eye.

"Crucio." He finally said.

And so began the torture session that Emily had been preparing for, for fifty years.


	38. Chapter 38 WARNING: MATURE CONTENT

**I can't tell you how much I really appreciate you guys taking the time to read and review my story I have been writing some very boring filler lately, and thank you so much for putting up with it. No more from this point on! YAY! I hope you continue to READ AND REVIEW! BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!**

**EMILY ANGELINE**

Emily's knees felt weak as she stepped back into the manor. Her head was still ringing with the echo's of her own screams, and her breathing was shallow. Fortunately, she could feel the curse rapidly soaking up any and all physical pain, like an internal sponge. It was the mental pain that she was worried about.

She felt a snakelike hand slither around her waist and a pair of lips close to her ear.

"I'm glad you saw things my way," He whispered. Emily hissed loudly. This made him chuckle.

"Don't think I've given up so easily," she snapped. He didn't say anything, but Voldemort tightened his grip on her, perhaps fearful she would try to escape by some means.

"My Lord!" Lucius Malfoy exclaimed, breathing hard. He, and the rest of the death eaters in the room, took a knee respectfully. Emily scoffed. "You have returned."

"Don't think I've forgiven you all." Voldemort snapped cruelly, his high pitched voice rising threateningly. "Potter has escaped again, and it is your faults, entirely."

Lucius's smile faded and he swallowed hard. Bellatrix shoved him aside and flung herself before Voldemort in a pleading fashion.

"My Lord! We did everything we could! Please! We got the girl for you!"

Voldemort sneered at Bellatrix, who was now on the floor kissing the hems of his robes.

"You did not 'get' anyone for me, Bella. In fact, if it weren't for my own magical abilities, the girl would have escaped." He said, kicking Bellatrix aside.

Emily scoffed again.

"Potter has evaded me one too many times. But I have here, in my arms, the weapon we are going to use to kill him."

This made Emily's disgusted expression morph into one of utter shock. For the first time that day, she looked Voldemort directly in the eyes, only to find that he was already staring at her with a kind of burning intensity. His face was much to close to hers, and impulsively, she arched her back away from him.

"Ms. Angeline knows a great deal, and I intend to use her knowledge against Potter." He said. They all looked at her, with a kind of fear that made her feel… well, intimidating.

"I will never help you," she spat ferociously. Voldemort's smirk didn't falter. If there was one thing that Emily had always hated about Tom, it was that he was so sure that he would always get what he wanted.

"We shall see." He murmured. "Now, Lucius, direct Ms. Angeline to her new chambers."

Emily turned to see Lucius about to grab her arm. In turn, she nailed him in a more sensitive region of his body.

"I do not like being 'handled.'" She snarled, watching him double over with pain.

"Lucius!" Narcissa cried, rushing to his side. Emily could hear Voldemort's high pitched laughter ringing in her ears. She had heard it many times in nightmares, but to know that this time it was real was unnerving.

"So feisty. But we'll fix that."

Lucius slowly got up, his face twisted with discomfort, as he indicated which way to go. Emily held her head up high as she walked down the dark hallway, Lucius slowly following behind her.

"You DARE do something like that to me in my OWN HOUSE?" Lucius wheezed once they were out of range. Emily turned to face him, scowling.

"And I would gladly do it again, should you lay another hand on me. I'm not incapable without a wand."

Lucius seemed to bite his tongue, as he opened a door to her right. She hesitantly stepped inside. The room was large and eccentric, with a large mahogany bed, and another roaring fire. There were no windows, Emily noticed. The walls were made of cinderblock. The moment she touched one, she felt a soft magical pulse surging through it, indicating more protective enchantments. At least Voldemort didn't underestimate her abilities. Without so much as a goodbye, Lucius slammed the door shut. She heard the clicks of multiple locks.

"How rude." Emily hissed ruthlessly. And as she looked around, she felt another urge to cry.

Oh Harry, she thought, why did you have to leave me here?

Without a house-elf, or any other form of non-wizard transport, she was stuck here. And Voldemort thought she had information, which wasn't completely untrue. Emily had always known things others didn't. Tom was the only one who ever saw it as something strange. And now, somehow, he was going to force her to tell him everything, and use it against Harry. She shuttered at the thought of what he might do.

The windowless room began to feel like a cage, and as she sat down on the bed, she felt her head throb.

Then, the clicking of the locks returned. Emily's head snapped up, and she stood. She didn't have a wand but like she said, she could fight without one. Voldemort slithered in with the grace of a ghost. He stood there, his head cocked to the side, appraising her. Emily considered making a break for the open door, but as soon as she thought it, it loudly slammed shut. The only sound now was her ragged breathing.

"If you touch me…" She began.

"What?" He pressed, "What will you do to me?"

"I don't need a weapon."

"Surely you won't reduce to muggle fighting." He sneered, "a woman of your pristine and blood-line shouldn't have to."

Emily wanted to claw his eyes out just then. It had been all Tom talked about at school. Magical bloodlines and how he was the last heir of Salazar Slytherin.

When Emily had found out that she was a descendant of the infamous Hyslains, she hadn't breathed a word. In fact, she feared the idea of people finding out.

"I will do whatever it takes." She said, "Because my friends deserve that much."

Voldemort strolled over to the fire and stared into the flames. "They were in the way. I had to kill them."

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING! YOU MADE MY LIFE A LIVING HELL! AND YOU-YOU JUST…" She screamed, unable to express her feelings of rage with words. She simply punched the cinderblock walls with all her might. It had no effect, and her hand was obviously broken.

"It would be unwise for you to do that again." Voldemort snapped. Emily's hand was already beginning to heal itself.

"I'll do that as many times as I like." She hissed back.

Suddenly, Voldemort whirled around and leapt at her. Emily had time to yell out before his cold, monstrous hand was suddenly clasped around her throat, and slamming her to the wall.

"I can never get over how beautiful you are," He said. Emily clawed at his hand. Oddly enough, she felt her heart skip a bit at the compliment. Though, she didn't respond.

"We could have been great," He continued, "I could have handed you the world on a silver platter. But no. You chose Dumbledore's side. And now look where you are. My prisoner…"

"I am no ones prisoner." Emily snapped back.

"I swore I would get you either way," He leaned in slowly. "Whether you wanted me, or not."

Emily's head was slowly becoming fogged up with his words. Her thoughts wouldn't click together. Why was she staring at his lips all of a sudden?

"I have waited fifty years, and I cannot wait any longer." His voice was becoming softer and softer as he leaned in.

"You… you bastard…" Emily hissed. It came out sounding a lot more confident than she was at that moment. Voldemort chuckled.

"So weak…"

He enjoyed antagonizing her, because he knew she wasn't weak.

"I am not." She said through gritted teeth.

"Oh?" He said, and ever so slowly, he began planting harsh kisses along the tender skin from her collarbone to her jaw. Emily's voice caught in her throat again.

"Let… me… go." She breathed.

"I don't think so." He smiled, "you don't seem to be fighting. I like it when you succumb to me."

Emily's will to fight was slowly fading. She tried to cling to it, but it was no use. What was he doing to her? She felt a skeletal hand run up her arm and across her back. She gasped at his cold touch on her flesh.

"You cannot resist me forever." He said between kisses.

"W-watch me." Emily tried to snarl, but it came out as a whimper. As soon as the words slipped from her tongue, Voldemort had planted his lips onto hers. He moved slowly and greedily about her, like she was a possession. Fire burned in her stomach. She could here the seductive hisses escaping his throat as his tongue slipped inside her mouth. Emily wanted to hit herself for behaving like such a… woman.

"You are mine, now!" Voldemort snarled. He dropped his hand from her throat and let her slide down the wall. Once they had parted, Emily's senses came flying back into her head. She desperately tried to run for it, but Voldemort snagged her waist and forced her onto the bed.

"GET OFF!" Emily yelled, squirming beneath him. He flew on top of her, staring at her with a terrifying hunger. Emily thought of screaming for help, and then almost slapped herself for considering such a stupid thing. This was his territory. No one would come to her aid.

"So beautiful," he said again, planting another kiss on her lips. This one was harsher, and he bit her lower one, causing it to bleed. She cried out, but the skin stitched itself back together in minutes.

With a wave of his wand, Emily's clothes vanished into thin air. Emily struggled again, but Voldemort's weight and his hands on either side of her head prevented her from escaping. She suddenly moaned as his thigh grazed hers. She immediately regretted it, because Voldemort's hunger simply increased. Her body had betrayed her.

He began undoing his own clothes by hand, starring at her with a devilish passion.

Once his shirt was off, Emily gasped again. You would never have guessed that underneath the thick, black robes, you would find a very muscular figure. Emily ran her hand across Voldemort's stomach, in pure shock. He shuddered, and slammed her hand back onto the bed. Then, he slipped a hand underneath her, bringing her closer to him. He began with the neck kissing again.

"Its shocking how such an aggressive creature becomes so willing at my slightest touch…" He said while running a finger along her sharp waistline. She gritted her teeth in order not to moan again. He then began to harshly kiss every part of her body. His teeth nicked skin here and there, causing Emily to grunt a little. He held her breasts in his hands, watching them rise and fall in sync with her breathing. She felt very confused as to why a man she hated with a burning passion could make her feel so… good?

Then, he continued to move down to her opening, kissing her waist and brushing his fingers against her inner thighs. Emily's mouth opened in shock as the ecstasy of this hit her like a wave. She tried to flinch away, but Voldemort held her there, sinking his fingers into her flesh.

So many confusing emotions ran through her just then. Voldemort continued to touch along the outer edges of her opening, and Emily could no longer contain the groans that begged to be released. Voldemort hungrily climbed back on top of her, dominating her body with his, and kissed her again. All the while, she felt him enter her in an antagonizing fashion. Emily cried out in a way that made Voldemort laugh with triumph. He moved to slowly. Emily arched her back again, meeting him halfway. This made him smile hungrily.

"Eager aren't we," he hissed in her ear. Emily wanted to slap herself again. But he was moving in a steady motion. It soon picked up speed, and Emily was breathing hard. Voldemort still had one hand behind her back, holding her to his chest. She placed both hands on it, and cringed at his motions.

Then, she felt a tingle of pleasure run throughout her insides, making her convulse. She screamed as she peaked, and then lay on the bed, exhausted. Voldemort peaked soon after. He slid out of her, and kissed her hungrily once more. His crushing force bruised the tender skin.

"Mine… all mine." He growled. It was only when Voldemort released her and slid off the bed, that she realized what she had done. Her mouth fell open in an "o." She grabbed the blankets of the bed in a hurried, disheveled fashion to cover herself up. Voldemort stood, and waved his clothes back on. Emily was staring at him with a lividness that she could not describe. She wanted to lunge at him and throw him to the ground, then maybe slam his head against the cinderblock and see how he liked it. But she was still naked.

"I will not have you wear those filthy muggle clothes agian," he stated. "You will wear robes fit for a lady by my side."

"I will not wear anything you give me." Emily yelled in retort.

"You may walk about in the nude if you must." He said plainly, "but a woman of your beauty will attract unwanted attention. I will not stop my death eaters if they violate you in any way you do not want."

"I can take care of myself." Emily snapped angrily, "I'd like to see them try."

"You will stay in this room until I tell you to leave." He continued. "Try to escape and I will kill you."

Emily smirked and itched to say that he might as well kill her now, but she held her tongue. With one last aggressive kiss, Emily blinked, and Voldemort was gone.

And that's when she allowed herself to loose control, and sob hysterically.


	39. Chapter 39

Ever since Voldemort said he would find some way to get information out of her, she had barely said a word during her stay at the manor. Emily did, however, make sure to scowl at every death eater she saw, without hesitation.

Emily would wake up every morning, stripped of clothes and alone in her room. The moment she sat up, her mind would work furiously to form a plan for escape. She would run her fingers along the cinderblock walls, feeling for weak chinks in the enchantments, but everything held fast. Nothing was breakable. Several times a day, Emily would wish for a wand. It would make everything much simpler.

Her situation seemed hopeless, but Emily wasn't known to be a quitter. She hadn't worn a single thing since Voldemort stripped her of her favorite jeans and t-shirt. She lay in the room, completely bare, her mind working a million miles a minute. Whenever death eaters came around with her meals, she didn't even bother to cover up. They may have seemed intrigued by her beauty, but they were much too scared to go anywhere near her.

One day, while pondering on freedom, Emily heard a knock at the door. It was followed by the many clicks of the locks coming undone. She sat up, and waited patiently for them to enter.

"'ello, deary," said Barty Crouch Jr. "Pleased to see me again?"

Emily's jaw it the floor.

"BARTY?" She yelled. He curled his neck in a disturbing fashion in response. "You're supposed to be dead!"

Barty smiled malevolently. "Really? Is that what fudge told you? Well, you were sadly mistaken."

He shut the door loudly, and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Once I came to my senses, and you lot had left, I told Fudge everything. After I had spilled my guts to Dumbledore, keeping the Dark Lord's rise to power a secret from the Minister was pointless. Of course Fudge said I was making it all up. Poor, delusional man. He ordered one of his precious Aurors to kill me, but you all had left me with my wand. I didn't dare kill fudge, so I knocked out his men instead. Then, I threatened to kill_ him_ unless he let me go."

Barty bared his teeth. This was the first time all week that Emily wished she had snagged some of those clothes Voldemort mentioned. Barty wasn't even bothering to look intimidated. In fact, he approached her with a kind of… disturbing confidence.

"Touching story. Truly moving," Emily sneered, rolling her eyes. "Now what do you want?"

Barty's smile grew.

"The dark lord asked me to see you. He feels you have been getting too comfortable, and needed a small… reality check."

Emily caught on to what Barty was saying quicker than he knew, and before he could so much as reach for his wand, Emily jumped up and kicked him in the face. He staggered backwards, gripping his now bloody nose with one hand.

"I'm not sure if Lucius told you that I don't like to be handled." Emily snapped, "So I guess you'll just have to find out the hard way."

"You little bitch!" Barty said, and lunged at her. He almost grabbed her arm, but Emily swerved under him as he pounced, and snapped his shins with her heel. Barty cried out in pain. Once he turned, Emily jammed her palm in an upward motion against his nose and he was out in seconds. He crumpled to the floor limply. Emily looked at him in disgust before finally turning to the closet that she had been neglecting.

Yanking open the doors, she quickly scanned through all the dresses. They were old fashioned and clearly had been worn in a while. Emily snatched a green one with longer sleeves, and after shaking out the mothballs, she put it on. She didn't bother combing her hair, however. She didn't want to make it look like she was trying.

Voldemort came in that evening as he always did. When he realized she wasn't stripped as usual, his scarlet eyes widened.

"That dress suits you." He hissed.

"What dress doesn't?" Emily replied bitterly. She gestured to Barty's still unconscious body on the floor. "You sent in reinforcements?"

Voldemort made a swift glance at Barty, before bringing his eyes back up to her.

"I thought it would be wise to shake your confidence." He said, "But clearly Barty was not the man for the job."

"No man is." Emily snapped.

She did not look at him, but could hear Voldemort coming nearer. She had grown weary of their nightly routine, but at the same time, she found that a part of her secretly enjoyed it.

"Except me," he hissed. Emily looked up at this.

"You'd think by now you would realize that you'll never be able to break my spirit." Emily retorted.

Voldemort smiled again. "Don't be so sure."

Then, he took a small vile from his cloak. Emily looked at it, confused. He uncorked it and tipped it to his lips.

Then, slowly, Voldemort's appearance began to change. His ghostly pale skin became flushed with color, and his scarlet eyes turned a handsome blue. Emily watched in horror as Lord Voldemort reformed into the very familiar and handsome Tom Riddle.

She screamed, and slithered away from him. Tom gave her that devilish smile that she hadn't seen in fifty years. Her head throbbed threateningly.

"Did you miss me?" He crooned. Emily was shaking her head in denial. His physical form made all the painful memories so much more real, and terrifying. She groaned as she clutched her head in agony.

"That's right. Most people find my other form frightening, but you are more fearful of this one."

"Don't touch me. DON'T YOU DARE LAY A HAND ON ME!" She squealed, and crawled off the bed so she was on the opposite side of the room.

"Time to ask some questions, Ms. Angeline." Tom said deeply, "about Mr. Harry Potter."

"No…no…"

Tom snatched her wrist from the other side of the bed and dragged her forward with surprising strength. Emily was fighting him ruthlessly, but her head was pounding and images were flashing before her eyes.

"Where is the boy? I know you know." He whispered in her ear, and snatched her waist.

"I don't know! I don't…" she whimpered, on the brink of tears. No crying! She thought, stay strong!

"But you do," he said in a sing song voice. "You always do."

He proceeded to nibble at her ear.

"No! I don't! Let me go! Please!" she begged, trying to force her hands against his chest. He slid his down to her lower back. Her bones were like jelly in his hands, but it felt like bricks were being slammed into her temple.

"Tell me," he murmured. Emily's voice croaked in her throat. She mustn't tell. She had to protect Harry…

Then, Tom kissed her softly. It was a deep kiss. Her head was surging with pain, but frankly, Emily didn't care. She found herself wrapping her arms around his neck as his hands gripped her waist.

"Tell me, my dear… tell me."

Emily wanted to tell him. She wanted so much to tell him, if it meant that the pain would end and he would keep kissing her. But a voice somewhere in the back of her mind said otherwise.

"Don't give in!" it said, "It won't stop the pain."

"Tom, stop!" Emily said suddenly, but Tom continued. He placed a hand to her cheek to keep her face pressed to his as he ran his hands along the material of her dress.

"You are the only one worthy of me." He growled in her ear, "the only one."

Emily shut her eyes and sighed as he kissed the edges of her collarbone, his fingers playing with her sleeves, trying to pull them down.

"TELL ME!" He snapped loudly, still tugging on her dress.

"Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinsworth!" she gasped. She could feel the horrid smile play on his perfect lips, and Emily felt her heart stop beating.

"Good," he hissed, and slowly pulled away. "I'm glad we didn't have to do this the hard way."

Emily looked like she had just been stabbed in the back. She was still shaking her head, cradling it with both of her hands.

"Harry!" she cried abruptly. Tom turned back to her. Emily suddenly got up, and walked towards him. She looked Tom straight in the eyes, hoping very much that Harry was watching, and would heed her warning.

"Harry! Get out of there! Take them all with you! GO!"

Tom looked at her like she was crazy, and pushed her away. She hissed loudly.

_You won't win this!_ She said in parsletongue. Tom smirked, clearly amused.

_Watch me!_ He defied. Then, the door shut. Emily began to scream as loudly as her voice could manage. She started to throw a dangerously violent fit, which involved ripping pillows and punching the cinderblock walls over and over again, hoping maybe her bones wouldn't heal this time.

Later that day, once Emily had recouped from her tantrum, Voldemort strolled back in. He looked like his natural self again, to which Emily was relieved. He grabbed her waist harshly and looked at her murderously before sweeping her from the room.

"Where are we going?" She demanded fiercely.

"Gringotts." Voldemort hissed in reply.


	40. Chapter 40

"Say it again!" Voldemort screamed at the puny goblin "SAY IT AGAIN!"

"T-Thieves m-my lord… R-robbed t-the Lestranges vault." He stammered, wringing his hands.

"AND THEY TOOK?" Voldemort said in a panicky fashion. "WHAT DID THEY TAKE?"

The goblin swallowed hard. "…A-a small g-gold cup m-my lord."

Voldemort's rage exploded from within him. He felt outraged and utterly deranged as he screamed. Green light spewed from the tip of the elder wand that he had acquired a few evenings ago. It ricocheted off the Gringotts walls and struck practically every creature in the place dead. Lucius, Draco, and Narcissa ran towards the exit, along with the rest of his death eaters, in an attempt to save themselves from his wrath. Though, Emily stayed put, tucked gracefully into one of the corners of the room.

He placed his hands behind his back and stalked amongst the dead bodies. Nagini slithered alongside his feet.

How could the boy have known his secret? He, himself, had made it impossible for anyone to find out. He was careful not to leave the slightest trace of evidence that could suggest he was linked to such magical objects. He hadn't even revealed the secret to his most loyal of followers.

Then, a disturbing thought tickled his brain. Dumbledore. Dumbledore must have figured it out somehow. But how many did he know about? Surely he couldn't know how many there were, or where they were all hidden?

Then it clicked. It _was _possible. He turned to look at Emily. He had been angry at her many times back in their youth, but this was something else altogether. The girl worked with Dumbledore and Dumbledore passed on what he knew to the boy. She was still managing to foil his plan, even when she was his prisoner!

"You," he spat, and glided towards her. She was still clearly shaken by the events that had taken place that afternoon, but not so much that she didn't smirk slightly at his tone.

"You know, don't you?" he continued lividly.

She let her smile show.

"Know what?"

He wanted to strangle her. Make her hurt and drag her life out before he finally killed her, but he knew he couldn't. The curse made it impossible. Even if he could, it wouldn't do any good. He had given her a lifetime of torture. A few more days wouldn't make much difference.

And something in the back of his mind suggested that, even if it weren't imprudent, he still wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it. She was worth too much to him.

He needed to make sure his horcruxes were safe. He would take a journey, and bring her with him to answer any and all questions he had.

He snagged her waist and dragged her in, but not in a possessive way. It was in a manner that suggested he wasn't afraid to hurt her.

"We're going on a little trip," he said in her ear.

"You would rather go alone," she replied, "you won't me to accompany you."

Again, she surprised him with how much she knew.

"Oh but I do. I have many things to ask you."

Emily paused. "Very well."

He bit into the flesh at her neck selfishly, leaving behind blood. Then, they were off, Nagini trailing along behind them. No more going off to do his bidding, Voldemort thought. The snake would remain close at hand.


	41. Chapter 41

Well, Voldemort found most of his Horcruxes missing from their hiding places. And, as expected, he took out his anger on Emily. She was weaker than she had ever been in her entire existence. So much that she couldn't even fight_ herself _anymore. Her head throbbed so consistently, that it was like the pain wasn't there. She rolled in and out of sleep-like states that brought along nightmares, only to reawaken and not know whether she was still in one. Dreams and reality had become the same. She could no longer tell the difference between the life she was living, and the nightmares she had.

They had flown back to Hogwarts, where the battle was to take place. Many things happened during this time. She could play this scene in her head again and again, she knew it so well. But she couldn't see or hear anything. She would stare straight ahead, images flashing before her eyes, and her insides numb.

It seemed like hours, perhaps even days, before they were in the forbidden forest. Her ears picked up snippets of the death eaters conversation.

"The boy… you think he'll come?"

"I should think so. The Dark Lord means business. He'll find Potter in the end."

So, she thought, it has come to this. Just as she'd known it would. They were waiting for Harry.

The thought of Harry, her friend, brought back the smallest glimmer of hope to her. Things would end soon. Voldemort would perish, and she would be free for the first time in decades.

Suddenly, Voldemort had grabbed her arm greedily, and jabbed his wand into her flesh.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked softly.

"You are going to find Potter. He trusts you. If he is out there, he will reveal himself to you. Bring him to me. Do you understand?" He growled. Emily's eyes widened. If he was sending her out on her own, than he must be truly desperate.

"This," Voldemort continued, gesturing to the curse flowing from the tip of his wand, "will ensure that you do not run off, or try anything foolish."

He released her with a jerk.

"Rowl! Lestrange! Accompany her!"

The fact that she was finally going to have time away from Voldemort after weeks of her imprisonment was like a glorious torch of faith, leading her out of the dark tunnel. It made her stronger. She hastily walked off into the dark and dreary woods, the two death eaters following closely behind.

Once they had walked a ways, Emily stopped and turned. A small, cruel smirk played on her lips as she suddenly nailed the two death eaters in the kneecaps. They hardly had time to jinx her before she grabbed one in a headlock and twisted violently. He rolled onto the forest floor, dead. The other lunged quickly and Emily was not fast enough to completely dodge his curse. She felt it singe the skin where Voldemort had pressed his wand into her arm. She groaned and touched it tenderly. Anger suddenly bubbled up inside Emily's blood, and before he knew it, the other death eater was nailed in the gut and kicked in the throat. He flew back and hit a tree before slumping down at the base of the trunk. Blood trickled from his skull.

Emily realized she had just killed two men. Was she going mad? It seemed more than likely, because she hardly even cared. Emily quickly grabbed both of their wands from their cold, lifeless hands. She then stood up, clutching her injured arm, and stalked away.

I have wands now, she thought to herself. I could save myself. I could win!

She began to laugh silently as she continued to tromp through the dead leaves. She soon rounded into a dark clearing, surrounded by tall trees. But what caught her eye was in the middle of this clearing. Whatever it was reflected the few rays of moonlight that seeped through, causing it to glitter.

Then, as she moved closer, she saw what it was. It was a mirror.

The mirror of Erised.

Emily's first thought was that she had truly gone mad. It was the only explanation. It made no sense for the mirror of Erised to be out in the middle of the forbidden forest. She blinked hard, expecting it to vanish, but it didn't. It remained perfectly solid, and in place.

She raised the wands in her hands, expecting someone to jump out and tell her what was going on. Was this some kind of trick?

Nevertheless, she continued to approach it. Once she was standing slightly to its left, she realized that it was real. This was no hallucination. This wasn't a dream. She ran her fingers along the edges of the cool, gold rims with the text along the border. Dumbledore had never let her look in the mirror. He had said it was dangerous for someone in her condition. She understood at the time. She had so little happiness in her life, that the mirror might just drive her insane.

But at this point, she was already insane.

Taking a leap of faith, she stepped sideways so she was gazing at herself in the glistening glass.

And what Emily saw made her sob. Her three friends, looking healthy and happy, stared back at her. And then, to her surprise, they began to speak.

"There you are," Julie praised, "Still fighting I see."

"Julie?" Emily stammered, "Anne? M-mackenzie? W-what are you…"

"We're here to help!" Anne said sprightly. "Sorry we're a bit late. Being dead and all, it took us awhile…"

"You think?" Emily sniveled pathetically, wiping her nose on the back of her hand.

"We're here now." Mackenzie said, patting her on the back in the mirror. Emily sobbed again because she knew this wasn't real. It was all part of the mirror's magic. But she didn't want to spoil this happy moment.

"I j-just can't believe you're here." Emily said softly. "I'm so sorry. I never knew he… _I_ should have died instead…"

"Are you mad?" Anne cried out, "your way more important than we are! Besides, we should have listened to you from the start. That boy was such a-"

"We can't stay long," Mackenzie interrupted, "We just wanted to tell you that we're so proud to call you our friend, and don't lose hope."

Emily looked up into Mackenzie's deep brown eyes, feeling comforted.

"'Kenzie, we have to leave!" Julie said, tugged on Mackenzie's shirt.

"No wait! Don't go!" Emily pleaded. "Please! Don't leave me again."

"We don't have a choice. Someone else wants to see you." Julie explained.

"Wha- someone else? Who?"

At that moment, her friends vanished, and in their place was that familiar handsome figure…

"Tom?" Emily said. Mirror Tom smiled down at her, and nodded.

"What on earth-?" She demanded angrily, throwing her hands in the air in an exasperated fashion. "This doesn't make any sense."

"'I show, not your face, but your heart's desire.'" Tom said, quoting the text from the edges of the mirror. "I am here to help you figure out what it is you desire, Emily."

"What I desire?" Emily repeated. "But isn't that the mirror's job? To show me what I desire?"

Tom nodded, and grinned.

And suddenly Emily understood. In that split second of time, everything made sense. Everything fit, like the last piece of a massive, jagged puzzle. She saw flashes of her life back at Hogwarts with Tom. Every little feeling, every time her heart raced when she saw him. Every time they brushed fingers, or made eye-contact. Every time he smiled at her, and every time she smiled back.

It took her a good lifetime to finally figure out that she was in love with him. Emily Angeline was in love with Tom Riddle.

But as that split second passed, she realized it was too late.

"You're gone." She murmured, "And it's all my fault."

She buried her hands in her face and wept. She was truly sick of crying, but it was impulsive and could not be helped.

"Emily," Tom said softly. She took a deep breath and stared up at him, "I loved you from the moment I saw you walk into the great hall that first evening. But I had never felt love before. Nor had I ever felt rejection. It came across all wrong. I wanted you desperately, but I didn't know how to go about getting you."

In the mirror, he placed a hand on Emily's cheek.

"If it's anyone's fault, it's mine…. for pushing you away."

A single tear glided out from the corner of her eye.

"What now?" She croaked, "You've turned into a monster. There's no hope for you."

Tom shrugged.

"I am going to die. It is something I would have never accepted if it weren't unavoidable. But it's true. I am already dying. Parts of me are falling away every day."

"Tom… I never thought I'd say this… but I don't want you to die!" Emily cried. Tom smirked.

"Die with me." He soothed. Emily stopped breathing.

"…with you?"

"I love you Emily. I don't want to have to face death alone. Come with me."

Emily turned the words over and over again in her head. Death… it sounded so peaceful. Like sleep after a long day of work…

"Why are you here?" She said suddenly, "What are you all doing here?"

Tom sighed.

"Trying to finish what we started."

Then, Emily blinked, and the mirror vanished, taking Tom with it.


	42. Chapter 42

Harry forced himself to walk, one step at a time, into the dreary forest. Moments ago, he had discovered that he was a horcrux. He had to die, or Voldemort could never be defeated. The thought of the Dark Lord's demise pushed Harry to march on; to do what he had to do. His heart was racing, trying to get in as many beats as it could before his inevitable death came.

Under the invisibility cloak, Harry moved in silence, listening for the faint jeer of a death eater, or a flash of green light.

All of a sudden, he heard a twig snap. He froze, not daring to breath. The footsteps came closer and closer, and sweat began to form on Harry's forehead.

"Harry?" said that familiar beautiful voice. His mouth fell open and he ripped off the cloak immediately. Harry ran around one of the trees, and there she was, as beautiful as ever.

Emily smiled down at him, relieved apparently.

"Emily!" Harry exclaimed. Emily ran at him suddenly, and hugged him. He felt her strong grip crushing his lungs but he didn't care. He hugged her back with equal enthusiasm.

"What are you doing here?" He cried, pulling away. "He didn't let you…"

"No," Emily replied, "No, don't be silly. He sent me to come get you."

"Wha…? Then this is your chance! Run for it! Save yourself!"

Emily shook her head, and smiled weakly. She then pulled up her sleeve to reveal some kind of tattoo. It coiled around her arm like a vine. The skin around it looked red, and raw.

"I can't. He made sure I couldn't."

Harry looked up at her, wanting to apologize for everything. This was his entire fault. He was the one who'd let this happen.

"Emily… I-"

But Emily rested a hand on his arm.

"It was bound to happen eventually."

He swallowed hard, fighting back tears. They stood in silence until Emily spoke again.

"Well. This has been quite the journey, hasn't it? All these years together…"

Harry gave a pathetic laugh.

"You could say that." he admitted.

Emily sighed.

"And you know…?" She continued, "That it has to end now… that you have to… to die?"

Harry lowered his head. Emily exhaled loudly.

"Me to."

His neck snapped up, startled.

"What?" he asked. Emily scratched the beck of her head.

"I have to die to."

"Emily, you can't die… its impossible…"

Emily laughed at this.

"But I can." She said, "And I will."

"But… why?" he probed.

Emily grabbed Harry's hand comfortingly, and to his surprise, it felt warm.

"B-because…" she stammered, "B-because I… I, um…"

She awkwardly dug the heel of her foot into the ground, and then coughed to clear her throat.

"Because Voldemort has to die."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, not understanding where she was going with this.

"Because Voldemort has to die," she repeated, "… and I love him."

Harry choked, then shook his head disbelievingly. He had not just heard that. There was no possible way. Dumbledore had told him as much, but surely after she had seen what he was capable of… after he _tortured _her…

"Emily, that can't be!" Harry exclaimed, "Voldemort can't love! And how can you love a man who killed your friends?"

Emily massaged her head.

"I don't love Voldemort!"

"But you just said-"

"I love Tom. Tom Riddle."

More silence. The woods grew darker by the minute, and the end of Harry's hour was fast approaching.

"They're the same," he thought aloud.

"No, they're not." Emily explained, "Voldemort is a cruel, heartless monster. Tom got lost inside of him on his journey to power. He's still there somewhere, deep down…"

"How can you say that?" Harry demanded, suddenly angry, "after you've seen what he can do? Tom Riddle is gone!"

"… Not entirely."

Harry wanted to tell her to snap out of it. Clearly Voldemort had put some kind of spell on her, so she would be forced to feel this way. It was the only explanation. Surely she couldn't mean what she was saying…

…Could she?

"It doesn't matter now," Emily said, "What matters is defeating him, and you're the only one who can do that, Harry."

She tugged on his hand. Harry looked down at her fingers intertwined with his.

"I've got to do this," he said to himself, his hands shaking. He had to die.

"Yes," Emily said simply. "You do."

**********************************************  
Emily and Harry continued to hold hands until they were within a meter of their destination. He kept his invisibility cloak on as Emily released her grasp, and gave him another quick embrace. She then shot Harry a fleeting look before tearing off in Voldemort's direction.

"No sign of him, my lord." He heard her say.

There was a long pause.

"I thought he would come…" said Voldemort, in his distinctively cold voice. "I expected him to come."

Harry's legs had turned to jelly as he stuck his wand in his back pocket, so he wouldn't be tempted to defend himself.

"It seemed I was… mistaken."

"You weren't," he called out, yanking off his invisibility cloak, and stepping out from behind the tree.

Death Eaters gasped, and moved out of Voldemort's way as Harry approached them. Emily's face was expressionless as she stepped back to watch the events unfold.

Voldemort looked shocked.

"Harry Potter," He crooned, "The Boy who Lived."

Harry's breaths were coming in quick, short puffs now. He tried not to think about what was to come.

"Come to die?"

Harry stared directly into the scarlet eye with slits for pupils, saying nothing. He watched as Voldemort raised his wand, and cocked his head to the side like a curious child, wondering what would happen if he proceeded.

Then, his lips moved, there was a flash of green light, and darkness took over.


	43. Chapter 43

**Emily Angeline**

Emily watched as Voldemort and Harry both collapsed onto the ground the moment the spell collided with Harry's chest. Once the green light had faded, there were cries of fear, confusion, and rage from the death eaters at the sight of their fallen master. Emily knew neither of them was really dead… yet. She leaned against the bark of the very large tree, looking calm, and waited. She wasn't quite sure how long it would be before they pair of them awoke.

Apparently not long. Before she knew it, Bellatrix was rushing to Voldemort's side hastily. Her hands wavered around his body in a panicked fashion, unsure of what to do,

"M-my lord… are you hurt?" she said, attempting to help Voldemort up. He looked confused, but caught sight of Harry's body a few meters away. His eyes were slightly crazed. With brute force, he shoved Bellatrix aside, and snatched Emily's waist. She cried out in protest but Voldemort wasn't paying any attention to her.

"The boy… is he dead?" he hissed. A moment of silence passed before Narcissa Malfoy stepped forth and walked over to Harry's apparently lifeless body. Everyone else stood silent with bated breath.

A few seconds passed. Emily ran over the quick conversation in her head. Narcissa would lie. As long as Draco was safe, she would lie….

Narcissa stood, trying to look stern as she said the words:

"He's dead."

And all hell broke loose. Death Eaters began shooting spontaneous bursts of fireworks, which set some treetops aflame. Some danced, some skipped, some cried out in joy. Voldemort himself was cackling in utter triumph and swept Emily into a deep, passionate, celebratory kiss. When he withdrew much later, his breathing was ragged with excitement.

"Harry Potter is dead by my hand!" He shouted. "Nothing will stand in my way now!"

"You seem quite collected for someone whose friend just died," Voldemort said calmly in Emily's ear. They were walking towards the castle from the forest. Harry's "dead" body lay limp in Hagrid's large arms, his glasses smashed onto his face. "Tell me what you are thinking."

Emily looked up into the pulsating scarlet eyes, which no longer held any intimidation over her.

"Do you really think Harry's death will end this?" she asked. Voldemort smiled.

"Anyone who tries to fight from this point on will be killed."

"Then they will all die!" Emily exclaimed. "Don't you see yet Tom? Don't you understand?"

At the use of Voldemort's other name, his face contorted into one of annoyance.

"I understand that your hero is dead," he sneered, "and your friends will either join me, or die trying."

Emily felt anger swell up in her throat. This was the man she loved. He was there somewhere. But how could she coax him out if he couldn't even realize that Harry's friends won't cease fighting just because he's dead.

"Please, Tom," she continued, "Don't do this. Harry is dead. Let's just leave!"

"No! You stupid girl!" Voldemort snapped, "I have been waiting for this for eighteen years! You think I am going to stop now just because you ask me to? You think too highly of yourself!"

"I'm trying to stop you from making a terrible mistake!" Emily yelled, slightly hurt. "If you waltz in there with Harry's dead body, people are going to fight in his honor! You killed him, and therefore people will take their rage out on you!"

"I can manage a few students!" Voldemort yelled in reply, "but why would they all lay down their lives for a hero who is already dead!"

"BECAUSE HE WAS THEIR FRIEND!" Emily bellowed, outraged, "AND THEY LOVED HIM! AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND TOM RIDDLE. YOU NEVER DID! SO HEED MY WARNING, AND TURN AROUND WHILE YOU STILL CAN!"

Her scream echoed throughout the entire grounds, halting the parade of death eaters in their tracks. Everything was still and quiet. The only sound that could be heard was her harsh breaths.

"For once Tom…" Emily pleaded, slightly softer. "Just listen to me."

Voldemort looked at her for a moment, and Emily felt a glimmer of hope resurface slightly as she stared into his gaunt white face. His eyes… there was something there… could it be…?

Regret?

But as soon as she had seen it, it passed, and Voldemort merely scowled, annoyed by her sudden outburst.

"Love… You really are Dumbledore's pet aren't you? Love is for the weak fools! Its magic is nothing compared to what I have seen! Love is nothing but a weakness."

Emily felt hot tears prickling around the outer corners of her eyes, but swallowed them. She snarled at him instead.

"Well then I suppose you consider me a weak fool?" She rustled under her breath so only Voldemort could hear her. She still felt her rage pooling inside her stomach.

"Why would I consider that?" Voldemort baited. Emily took the largest breath she had ever taken before in her life.

"Because I love you."

This caught him fully off guard, and Voldemort stopped walking altogether. Unfortunately, it was too late. They were at the front of the castle, met by hundreds of people, gathered in a tight crowd. Screams and cries of pain and sorrow escaped from it at they sight of Harry's body. Sobs could be heard. But Voldemort only had eyes for Emily at that moment.

"Y-you… you _dare_…"

"Dare to what?" Emily pressed, "To admit it? Isn't that what you've wanted all along Tom? For me to love you? You could see it even when I couldn't! I was blind to it because this-"

She gestured to Voldemort.

"- was all I could see. But … now you have everything you could have ever wanted, including me."

Voldemort's mouth was opened ever so slightly, and he looked like he couldn't understand a word of the babble that was pouring from Emily's mouth. And now that she had said it to him, it made the feeling all the more real. In a desperate attempt to prove to Voldemort how true her words were, she rose up on her toes and kissed him.

Now that she had willingly subjected herself to his affection, Emily felt the sparks that ran through her like lightening. Her entire body was tingling and there was a newfound flame burning low inside her. Voldemort responded with equal enthusiasm for a fraction of a second. Then, he tore away from her.

"NO!" He yelled, and ripped his hands off her waist. His hands left cold patches on her skin that doused the flame she had felt only moments ago.

"CRUCIO!" He yelled. White hot pain slithered into her bones and Emily released the most blood curdling scream ever heard by mankind. The curse felt like knives scraping her insides like chalk on a chalkboard. She collapsed in a heap on the ground, pitifully squirming, begging for it to stop. Though as soon as it had come, it vanished.

Emily was on the brink of hyperventilating as she pushed herself up to a sitting position, sweat glistening on her face. She was intensely sore. Voldemort was now standing on the other side of the yard, not even bothering to look at her.

"HARRY POTTER IS DEAD!" He declared loudly to the terrified crowd. "Now is the time to declare yourselves! Join us or be destroyed!"

Emily wiped her nose on her sleeve. She had thought surely Tom would admit defeat once she had admitted how she felt. Maybe Harry was right after all.

Maybe Tom was gone for good.

At that precise moment, there was a loud row from the death eaters behind her. Emily wiped a single tear from her cheek as she turned, and saw none other than Grawp stumbling through the grounds towards them.

'HAGAR!" He bellowed. Emily looked up at Hagrid, only to see that Harry was no longer in his arms. But suddenly, the fighting had broken out again, and no one seemed to notice. Emily stood to her full height.

Right before a curse just barely grazed her arm.

"OUCH!" She yelled, clamping a hand down on it. She realized that she needed a wand. With a quick glance at Voldemort over her shoulder, who was battling three of the teacher's singlehandedly, she darted off into the opposite direction.

She quickly saw a death eater, battling George off to the northern side. George Weasly looked livid as he fought, and Emily knew why. Fred was no longer with them.

"HEY!" She called to them over the chaos. The death eater lost concentration for a split second as he looked over at her. That was plenty of time for George to shoot a particularly nasty curse straight at him. The death eater fell quickly, and George turned to Emily.

"No time to explain!" Emily yelled, "I need his wand!"

George tossed it to her and she whirled around just in time to deflect a series of deadly curses aimed in her direction. The students and teachers were slowly pushing the fight back towards the school.

"TAKE THAT!" She yelled and sent several death eaters pivoting backwards with a blinding flash of gold.

The, she felt that same familiar spiderlike hand gripping her waist again. The wand she had flew from her grasp unwillingly and tumbled across the ground. She turned to look up at him, but Voldemort wasn't even looking at her. He was distant and cold.

But not so distant that he was willing to let her go.

"You will wait in the tower." He said, "While I deal with Potter."

His last words sent a violent chill down her spine, but she held her ground.

"I won't stay up there," Emily retorted, "you think you can just keep me away from the fight? Well I won't-"

She felt a cold stiffness settle over her person and her arms and legs went ridged. Voldemort just barely caught her before she fell, his long fingers grazing her lower back.

"I have to keep my most prized possession safe." He said softly. Emily wanted to fight him in any way she could but her entire body was numb. She couldn't move.

Then, Voldemort waved his wand threateningly above his head, and brought it down with a swish. She blinked, and found herself inside the top of one of the taller towers. She was still frozen solid.

_I have to get down there! _She thought. But it was no use. She couldn't even struggle in these magical binds Voldemort had inflicted on her. The stone floor was hard and uncomfortably cold on her skin. Emily could hear the shouts and cries from the battle below. It was pointless, however. She was stuck.


	44. Chapter 44

"What have you done with her?" Harry declared as he yanked off his invisibility cloak. Voldemort turned to him with a ravenous gleam in his red eyes.

"She cannot interfere! This is between you and me, Potter!"

Harry swallowed hard. A moment passed, and the two enemies began to circle each other.

"Fine," Harry said, "You're right. No one can interfere. It has to be me who kills you."

Voldemort smiled.

"No one is here to save you now boy. What will stop you from dying this time?"

"Nothing," Harry replied simply, "But there are no more Horcruxes Voldemort. You have as much of a chance of dying as me now. And neither can live while the other survives."

"And you think it will be you, do you?" jeered Voldemort. His whole body was taunt and his red eyes stared, like a snake preparing to strike, "The boy who survived by accident because Dumbledore and his little apprentice were pulling the strings?"

"It was accident my mother died to save me?" asked Harry. "Accident that I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident that I didn't defend myself tonight, and returned to fight?"

"ACCIDENTS!" Screamed Voldemort, but still he did not strike, "Accidents, and chance, and the fact that you crouched behind skirts of greater witches and wizards, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

"No one else is going to die tonight," Harry said as they continued to circle, starring into each other's eyes. "You won't be able to kill touch them. The fact that I died to save them protected them from you. Just like my mother. You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, do you Riddle?"

"_You dare-"_

"I know things you don't, Tom." Harry continued, "Lots of important things that you don't. You want to hear some of them before you make another mistake?"

Voldemort did not speak, but prowled in a circle. Harry knew the thought that he might have information that Voldemort did not know about, kept him at bay. The faintest possibility that Harry might indeed know one last secret…

"Is it love again?" said Voldemort, his face jeering. "Dumbledore's favorite solution: love. Which he claimed conquered death. Even his apprentice seems to think that just because she loves me; it will stop me from killing you. Well, love did not stop me from stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter. And no one seems to love you enough to run forward and save you, so what will stop you from dying when I strike?"

"Just one thing," Harry said, "But before you try and kill me Riddle, I'd advise you to think about what you've done… Think and try for some remorse Riddle…"

"What is this?"

Of all the things Harry had ever said to him, nothing had shocked Voldemort like this. Harry saw his pupil's contract to thin slits.

"It's your last chance," Harry said, "it's all you've got left… try for some remorse… I've seen what you'll be otherwise… Be a man… and if you won't do it for yourself, do it for her…"

Harry had struck a nerve and he saw the skin around Voldemort's eyes whiten dramatically. He continued.

"You have a beautiful girl that loves you, Tom… try for some remorse… for her…"

Voldemort's chest rose and fell rapidly, and Harry could feel the curse coming, feel it building inside the wand pointed at his face.

"You think that I _care _about the girl? You think she will change anything?" Voldemort retorted angrily, "Just because she loves me Potter, doesn't mean I return the feelings. The only thing I care about is power, and your death!"

"But you're wrong!" Harry said, "You do love her. I never would have believed it, if you hadn't sent her away from the fight."

"I didn't want to damage my prize!"

"You didn't want her to get hurt!" Harry retorted, "You knew how useful she could be in a battle like this, but you forced her into hiding anyways, because you wanted to protect her. You care about her Tom!"

"You dare-"

"Yes I dare! Because it's your last chance, Tom. Your last chance…"

A red-gold glow burst suddenly over the enchanted sky above them as an edge of dazzling sunlight appeared over the sill of the nearest window. Light hit both their faces at the same time, so that Voldemort's was suddenly a flaming blur. Harry heard the high pitched shriek and he too yelled his best hope to the heavens, pointing Draco's wand:

"AVADA KEDAVERA!"

"EXPELLIARMUS!"

**EMILY ANGELINE**

Emily could hear both Voldemort and Harry talking below from the window above her head. She knew they had minutes, possibly seconds until it was all over. She had to get down there! She clenched her mind tightly, willing her body to move. No luck. Her body remained ridged and still.

Suddenly, footsteps could be heard ascending the stairs up the tower. Emily tried to call out in desperation but her mouth could not move. Her cry became stuck in her throat. Someone was coming! They could save her!

The door burst open and Neville flung himself into the room, looking around wildly. His wand was in one hand, and the sword of Gryffindor in the other. Immediately, his eyes fell on Emily.

"Emily?! What are you doing here?" Neville asked. His confusion was panicky, but he waved his wand over her body nonetheless, undoing the spell she had been put under. Emily felt warmth spread through her legs and arms all the way up to her ears and nose. She gasped.

"Neville!" She cried out in joy, and she lunged at him enthusiastically. Neville awkwardly patted her back.

"What happened?" Neville said.

"No time to explain!" she replied, and ran for the door.

"Alright then," He said, confused, "Have you seen a bloody great snake?"

Emily shook her head. "Try the great hall. Hermione and Ron might have."

Neville nodded quickly and fled down the stairs again, the sword clanking over each step. Emily didn't waste any time in following him. She had to get to the courtyard…

Her feet seemed to lose feeling as she sprinted with all of her might towards her destination. Her hair flew out behind her and her lungs ached. Death eaters everywhere were falling at the hands of students and teachers. Spells hit walls, and ceiling and windows. Everyone was shouting. Though, for the first time in her life, Emily went unnoticed, as she ran through the battle. She leaped over bodies, and ducked through overhangs. She caught sight of Molly Weasly fighting Bellatrix off to the side, and watched as the Voldemort best lieutenant fell with a flash of green.

Soon, she was only seconds away from the courtyard. She heard the murderous bellows from Harry and Voldemort.

"AVADE KEDAVERA!"

EXPELLIARMUS!"

She pushed all of her energy into her final stretch and without even bothering to think, she leapt between the two curses.

It was almost like an explosion rippled through Emily's body. She felt an odd sense of release, but also pain. Lots of pain. The colors green and red were all she saw, and then she could just barely feel her back collide with the ground. Everything became muffled as her heartbeat became louder. She could hear it getting slower and slower...

**HARRY POTTER**

Harry's mouth fell open in anguish as he watched Emily's body fly back after both his and Voldemort's curses collided with her body. Green and red light had exploded out of her and she landed with a sickening thud a few feet away. Her chest didn't rise and fall like it should have if she had been breathing. Her arm lay slumped over her stomach and her hair spread out behind her.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Voldemort shrieked in agony. And before Harry could even process the fact that Emily was dead, he was forced to shoot another streak of red to meet Voldemort's ferocious green.

The bang was like the sudden blast of a canon, and the golden flames that erupted between them at the center, marked the point where the spells collided. Harry then saw the Elder wand fly high, against the dark sunrise, and with the unerring skill of a seeker, he caught the wand in his free hand. Voldemort fell backwards, arms splayed, and the slit pupil eyes rolled towards Emily's body one last time. Tom Riddle hit the floor with a mundane finality, his body shrunken and feeble. Voldemort was dead, killed by his own rebounding curse, and Harry stood for a moment with two wands in his hand, staring down at his enemy's shell.

Then, he dropped the wands and ran to Emily. He collapsed onto his knees at her side and took his shaking hand in hers. It was too cold for a living person. But her eyes were just barely open, and she was taking the smallest inhales through her mouth.

"Emily… Emily stay with me…" Harry begged, "Please… don't die…"  
Emily gave a shuddering cough, and smiled.

"My curse… can buy me… a little time," she smiled, "but… not much…"

"Emily, you don't have to go! He's dead! He's-" Harry said, and he felt hot tears slither down his cheeks. Emily gave his hand a light squeeze. She looked up at him with her beautiful eyes that now looked sad and empty.

She didn't say anything, but Harry understood. There was nothing he could do. He rested his head on her shoulder and sobbed until her hand went lifeless and stiff in his own.

"Goodbye." Harry gasped between sobs.


	45. Chapter 45

**Emily Angeline**

Emily's eyes fluttered open and the hazy world around her slowly came into focus. She noticed she was surrounded by white. There was a great glass dome above her head, but everything behind it was white as well. She sat up curiously, feeling the surface she was lying on. It was neither hot, nor cold, simply a flat surface on which to be. Everything was very quiet.

_If this is death, it isn't bad at all, _Emily contemplated. She pushed herself off the ground and stood to her full height, using her senses to explore her surroundings. It was at that moment that she realized that she was naked! At this, she laughed.

This was where Harry had been when he "died". Was this the Platform 9 ¾ between worlds? If so, why had she been brought here? Why hadn't she gone on like she was supposed to?

She subconsciously wished for clothes, and by some miracle, a robe appeared a few feet away. She quickly put it on, feeling the soft material beneath her skin. It was warm and comforting.

Suddenly, she heard a whimper. Her heart dropped with fear. Someone was there.

"Hello?" she called out into the empty white space that seemed to have no end. Whoever they were responded with another whimper. Emily tentatively moved towards the sound. Soon she heard ragged breathing. It was coming for under a bench not far from her. Emily had a hunch as to what it might be even before she bent over to look under the seat.

A small, bloody, shriveled creature lay huddled in a ball, clutching its knees to its chest. It looked like it was in pain.

It was a small piece of Voldemort, sent here to die.

"No…" Emily said. She wouldn't have it. She couldn't just leave it here. Unlike Harry, she did not feel repulsed by the small baby-like creature. In fact, she felt a somewhat motherly instinct to protect it.

"Come here." She whispered to it, while leaning down to cup her hands around its feeble body. The blood stained her robes, but she didn't care. It burrowed its face into the material.

"Oh Tom," she said aloud, "what are we going to do with you?"

Then, she kissed its bald little head.

Then, there was a flash of white that exploded out of the small piece of Voldemort. Emily screeched in surprise and dropped the creature. It glowed violently, and she had to hold her hand up over her eyes.

When it died down, she chanced a quick look up. What she saw made her gasp.

Tom Riddle stood, fully clothed and as handsome as ever. His pale skin gleamed and his sharp blue eyes stared at her intensely. He seemed surprised to even be there.

"Emily," he sighed in relief. Emily started to inspect his person from every angle from where she sat. It looked like Tom… but that was impossible.

"T-tom? But how…"

Her question was answered with a smile from him.

A moment of tense silence rang between the two, before Emily finally gave in and leaped into Tom's arms. He smashed her mouth to his, pulling her close.

"Ii can't believe it's you!" She said between kisses. "You're here!"

"I'm here!" he murmured, "because you love me."

They parted and Emily smiled.

"Ready to die?" she whispered softly. Tom's smile faltered.

"I'll admit… I'm nervous."

"Me too," Emily admitted, "but that's why we're here together, right?"

Tom planted another soft kiss on the membrane of her neck. She sighed.

"Right," he said. Then, he clutched her waist firmly.

The pair of them turned towards the opposite end of the indescribable room they were in. They walked forward, holding each other as the light became brighter and brighter. Then, they stepped onto the train that would take them on from this life, together.


	46. Ending Authors Note

**AUTHORS NOTE:**

**Thank you to everyone who supported me through writing this story! I love you all for reading, favoriting, following, reviewing, etc. This has been an amazing experience. **

**But don't think that I'm done yet. There are still a bunch of loose ends. Like, how does Emily know so much that no one else does? How did her friends really die? Who was she before this whole Voldemort mess?**

**Next summer, hopefully, I'll be writing a prequel to this story. It will include all of Emily's years at Hogwarts, how she met her friends, why she refused to be with Tom, and all of Tom's attempts to woe her! I'm excited to write it! If you liked this story, you will definitely like the next one! **

**Thanks again, and keep an eye out for the prequel next summer! **

**Love you all!**

**Anne.**


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